Renting with large family

[greenl 1]

We are a family of 7 (5 kids) and will need to rent for at least a couple of years when we arrive in Australia. Looking likely to be far north Queensland area.

In the UK it has been an absolute nightmare finding rental properties. Firstly, hardly any 4/5 beds ever come on the rental market. When they do, the competition is so fierce, 20+ viewings for every property so Landlords can afford to be super picky and 5 kids is never high on a Landlord's wishlist! Also pricing has gone from affordable to totally not, and letting agents are super strict about the 30xmonthly rent annual income ratio and are often choosing applicants with 60x

What kind of obstacles are we likely to face in this area of Australia? Our income should be in the region of $200k so budgeting around 800-1000AUD pw for rent. Will this meet the letting agent criteria? Obviously we will have no credit history in the country, will this be a problem? 

Also, timescales. Our recruiter is hoping we will have 6 weeks accommodation on arrival, is this enough time to secure a rental?

[Marisawright 10,232]

It will depend where you end up, but your description of the rental market doesn't sound very different from Australia.  In Sydney and Melbourne, you'd count yourself lucky if only 20 people showed up for a viewing.     

We started out in the countryside and found finding a rental extremely hard, not because of the cost but because there weren't many available.  Investors are more likely to buy city properties to rent out, because they offer better profits. We ended up house-sitting for a few months.   The rental, when we eventually got one, was an old run-down weatherboard house with a neglected garden.

Check out domain.com.au and realestate.com.au to get some idea, but be aware that agents photoshop the pictures shamelessly, so the property won't look as nice as it does in the photos. 

[InnerVoice 398]

Hi @greenl, we live in far north Queensland (FNQ), just north of Cairns.

On an income of $200k/year and a budget of $800-$1k/week, you can live like a king/queen up here.

As Marisa said, the rental market is in some parts of Australia is tough but you shouldn't struggle up here too much - even with a big family. Take a look...

https://www.domain.com.au/rent/cairns-qld-4870/house/?bedrooms=4-any&price=500-1000&excludedeposittaken=1&sort=price-asc

[greenl 1]

Thanks, I've looked on domain and found plenty of suitable places, but no details at all about referencing, credit checks, income ratio etc. 

[InnerVoice 398]

1 hour ago, greenl said:

Thanks, I've looked on domain and found plenty of suitable places, but no details at all about referencing, credit checks, income ratio etc. 

When I first arrived in Cairns I didn't have a pot to pee in, but the letting agent wasn't phased. I had a letter of employment, my ID documents, cash for the deposit and first month's rent, and I wore a suit. I'm sure it was the latter that sealed the deal! If you treat it like job-hunting and endeavour to come across as professional, you'll be fine - and well ahead of 99% of the applicants in these parts.

[AndrewMcD 11]

We have been renting since 2016 (in a nice bit of Sydney, long story why we haven't bought yet)

The market can be pretty feral in the bigger cities with large groups at showings.  Bigger properties will tend to be chased by either young house-share or families and agents do prefer families, in my experience.  I have never heard of a credit check or an "income ratio", you'll need proof of ID, probably either a rental reference or proof you've been paying a mortgage and a few bits like that but nothing as onerous as the UK sounds like.  The battle will be getting the agent to recommend you and that is more personality based than documents, as far as I've found...

As an aside you'll recalibrate your idea of 'big house' over here.  4 beds is the norm, 5 is common and 6 not at all unusual.  Our current place is a 'normal' sized family home in the burbs and has a kitchen, open plan lounge and separate dining area, a room that we use for the pool table and my home office as well as a separate office all on the ground floor.  Upstairs has a rumpus room, 4 beds with the master en-suite and a walk in robe.  Double garage and an outside shed.  And that was after we downsized from somewhere bigger!

Edited Friday at 06:53 by AndrewMcD

[calNgary 9,173]

On 24/05/2023 at 19:18, greenl said:

Thanks, I've looked on domain and found plenty of suitable places, but no details at all about referencing, credit checks, income ratio etc. 

Have all your paperwork ready to go (or on USB). You will need copies of driving licences, passports, any paid up utility bills/ mortgage, any rental refernces you may have from prvious rentals (even holiday lets) and of course a copy of your letter of employment stating salary and / or a copy of a healthy bank account.

 It is good to have a covering letter explaining your new to the country hence lack of Australian rental history etc etc..

   Hope this helps

       Cal x