itegoa Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Hi again Are there any fees involved when applying for a rental via an agency? What happens if I apply for multiple properties to rent and get accepted for more than one? Am I under any obligation to accept anything I have applied for? The reason i'm asking is that I don't want to apply for one property at a time, discover that I've been unsuccessful, and then have to apply for another one! Is there a standard process? (BTW I'm already aware that I can't apply for a property until I've physically seen the place - or is that wrong?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxlornaxx Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Most places want u to have inspected property..n u put that date on the application. .sometimes they even give you a code on day of inspection to put on app..ive never bn charged a fee for application..I usually apply for more than one place at a time. .if u get accepted for more than one u can turn dwn the ones you dont want..you havent agreed to anything so there is no obligation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatW Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 There shouldn't be a fee for you to apply for a rental property (based on Qld rules). You don't have to have seen it, if all the online information & photos are sufficient, although the Property Manager may prefer to vet/see you before agreeing. You can submit applications for multiple properties. You can submit an application online & provide necessary scanned ID documentation, i.e. passport, photo driver's licence, pay slips (100 points needed). In Qld you can go to the rta website (Rental Tenancy Authority) and see the forms, rental info. etc. available there at no cost. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Yes you do pay a fee in WA. This is then taken off your first weeks rent or returned if you are unsuccessful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 It depends on where you are going. In WA, there are now so many rentals that you are unlikely to be rejected. Sydney is likely to be harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Each state is different, as is each property agent. Some agencies in WA charge a fee (like a deposit) when you put in your application, which is then returned to you after processing. If you are unsuccessful your fee is returned, however, if you just change your mind then you do not get the money back. To be honest, not many agencies charge any sort of fee these days and the old style letting fee (which was not returned) seems to have disappeared altogether. It is not uncommon to apply for more than one property at the same time with the same agent, simply putting a preference for your first choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungbean Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Yes you do pay a fee in WA. This is then taken off your first weeks rent or returned if you are unsuccessful. In Sydney this is described as a "holding deposit" - you pay a week's rent in advance to show that you are serious about the property, and it's then taken off the market. So it's not a fee as such, it's towards your rent, and to secure the property until you've signed the lease. Fees for listings and real estate agents are all paid by the landlord, which is why tenants get treated like cattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungbean Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Which city are you looking in, @itegoa? The application form I completed said something about promising to rent the place if accepted. Since you pay the holding deposit at the time of application, there is the chance you could lose it if you back out I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itegoa Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Which city are you looking in, @itegoa? The application form I completed said something about promising to rent the place if accepted. Since you pay the holding deposit at the time of application, there is the chance you could lose it if you back out I suppose. Hi, We're looking at WA (close-ish to Perth CBD if that makes any difference). The thing that bothers me about those holding deposits is that I can only apply for one property at a time, and have to wait to see if i've been accepted (or not). If it's an instant decision then it's no big deal, but if there's say a 1 week wait then I could potentially waiting a while (and spending more money on short-term accom.) I prefer the fire-and-forget method of applying for stuff, i.e. apply for 10 of something, then wait and see what comes back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 In Sydney this is described as a "holding deposit" - you pay a week's rent in advance to show that you are serious about the property, and it's then taken off the market. So it's not a fee as such, it's towards your rent, and to secure the property until you've signed the lease. Fees for listings and real estate agents are all paid by the landlord, which is why tenants get treated like cattle. No we had to pay that too, on top of the fee. This was nearly 5 years ago and from what @Sammy1 has said this may now have been stopped. It certainly was the norm in our suburb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungbean Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Hi, We're looking at WA (close-ish to Perth CBD if that makes any difference). The thing that bothers me about those holding deposits is that I can only apply for one property at a time, and have to wait to see if i've been accepted (or not). If it's an instant decision then it's no big deal, but if there's say a 1 week wait then I could potentially waiting a while (and spending more money on short-term accom.) I prefer the fire-and-forget method of applying for stuff, i.e. apply for 10 of something, then wait and see what comes back! I can't speak for WA, but in Sydney I was told I would hear in 48 hours, and that's exactly what happened. That "fire and forget" attitude is called time-wasting if you're a landlord of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 It changed in WA a couple of years ago and the agent is only allowed to charge you a $50 application fee, but because its so little a lot don't bother as its not worth processing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itegoa Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 That "fire and forget" attitude is called time-wasting if you're a landlord of course. If the landlord is only expecting one applicant that they're going to accept, then I'd agree. The fact that a tenant is "applying" though suggests that they're not the only one applying. I'm guessing that the landlord will have many applicants that s/he can choose from (one winner, many others having their time wasted by the landlord). Please correct me if i'm wrong It's like applying for jobs. The best way to do it is apply for many, then if I get interviewed + offered for more than one, I get a choice (and hold the cards when it comes to negotiating the best terms). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raul Nigli Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Right, I was hoping that someone here would have any news/info for Adelaide? Or any agents that I can approach? I know in England we have to pay a fee when we like them to take the property off the market for us, but we were caught out when the people initially said fully furnished then said no furniture after we paid them the money.!!! I'll be flying into Sydney to live with mates for a week before moving to live & look for work in Adelaide. Have a full UK licence but would prefer to use public transport to start with till I get the lay of the land. Cheers! x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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