Renting in Perth, what a nightmare!

[Guest]

Hi, try Deon at Peard in Scarborough Beach Road. I was under the impression that its up to the owner of the property and not the agent to decide whether to rent to you. It might be worth, in your application, over stressing the point about being a good and helpful tenant... if poss offer to pay 2 months rent in advance, it might get you an advantage over others that will pay the standard 1 month rent. Perhaps get your employer to call the agent when your application goes in to offer a verbal reference or even better they could ask for email address and email them a reference without asking. You could also include your bank statement. I should also mention that I dont think any of the above is fair, we had hassles too and agree with everything you mention.. but hang on in there, dont give up and really try and make the agent your 'new best friend'... I dont like the system here but I cant do anything about it so we had to just play their game really... it's hard but keep at it, once you are in a property you can forget about the pain of attaining it. Definitely look at Centrelink - you are entitled to Family Assistance payments if you are a perm resident (like child benefit). It is worth the agro of registering (which you can do online or at one of their offices)... the money really comes in handy. good luck.

[Guest Bill_er_Bong]

Hi klong

 

Welcome to Poms in Oz.

 

Since you want to be NOR, it might be worth your while to try a real estate agent called John Mason, who posts on here as Bobcat. His user-profile is below:

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/members/bobcat.html

 

Bobcat's agency is in Carramar. However if that is miles away from where you want to be, Bobcat would undoubtedly know other real estate agents in the right sorts of suburbs for you.

 

Bobcat is an old PiO stalwart so if I were moving to Perth and moving to NOR, I would definitely start by asking him how to go about things.

 

Good luck, hun.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

 

Thanks for this post Gill. I will also be contacting Bobcat, as we are heading NOR at the end of the month. Currently sorting out a short term holiday let, but will be looking for a longer term rental ASAP on arrival.

 

Have to admit I've been reading this thread and feeling slightly alarmed. Not panicking yet, as I have faith in my convincing negotiation skills.

 

Though one question if anyone can let us know, is it the standard deal that all tenancies are a 12 month lease minimum?

 

Cheers

 

BB

[ali]

Just shows each persons experience is different! Our money goes way further here, I work 4 days a week, OH full time. We rent a modest 4x2 and found it after I think 3 applications.

 

I too would disagree with the family thing as we too have found our family life has improved rather than sufferred. OH and myself work full time - I did work 4 days a week, but went for a promotional post which was full time and therefore I work full time by choice. Both our work places have been flexible, hubby is able to drop our son off at school, leave early for appointments, i'm able to finish at 4.30, we've found our employers to be family freindly

 

A friend recently has been looking for a rental in the area I live , but she did find the agent to be helpful in helping her find something and they've moved into a lovely rental ... (she did say a couple of the houses weren't upto much ... but that's not the agents fault). Like others, I do believe that it's the landlord and not the agent who decides ... the agent for my friend, actually contacted me on behalf of the landlord for me to give a reference by phone. I think that sometimes the urgency of having to find a rental adds to the anxiety and pressure.

[ali]

I haven't found the agents to be too bad apart from the fact that they act like you're really putting them out to even show you the property. What I found annoying is that with one agent, we put in our application at 13:00 and by 15:00 they had told us we didn't get it even though they never spoke to one of our references. This was on a property that they admitted nobody had yet shown any interest in even though it'd been on the rental market for a couple of weeks. She called us back and said oh somebody else came in on the day you put your application in and they got it instead of you! Talk about crappy luck! :mad:

 

It's possible that they will only follow up on references if they want to offer you the property. I got asked what the family were like, had I seen their house in England, although I wasn't asked I also told the agent what they were like as parents and that they wouldn't let their children intentionally damage property that the kids were respectful of both property and people etc., in order for them to see them as people/a family and not just a name on a piece of paper. Some landlords may still have a connection/links to the community and will want 'nice' people moving in to live with their neigbours who they still know and respect.

[Bobcat]

good luck it is hard especially when you are set on a particular area, we struggled as we have a child and a dog and like you its a pain viewing when working , my oh got us this house were in , and i never even saw it untill we moved in , one thing i would try is badgering an agent if you have seen a property and just say we want to view would you on this occasion do a private viewing , we had 2 that did do that for us , the rest were" no " turn up for the cattle market grrr . all the best!

 

We go out of our way to accommodate would be tenants at viewings. I had a planned viewing last Saturday morning at 11:00am; two lots rang to say they couldn't make Saturday due to work commitments so i arranged to meet both of them at 3:00pm on Friday.

 

We had a couple rock up at our Agency last week while they were doing their reccie; they are now back in the UK.......... when they return we will go out of our way to find them a suitable rental property based on what their needs are.

 

At the moment we have available a double storey 5 bed 3 bath home in La Grange Loop at Currambine. It overlooks the golf course and the rent is $600 (Neg) per week.

 

We also have an Executive type double storey house metres away from the Marina at Clairrcastle Retreat in Mindarie. That is available at $900 per week.

 

In Tapping we have 4 bed 2 bath home coming on the market in a few weeks at $450 per week.

 

In the last few weeks we have let out properties in Wanneroo, Ocean Reef, Banksia Grove, and Iluka........... and at all of them we had schedued viewings on Saturday morning; but I also met mid-week those who were unable to attend at the weekend.

 

To say that all Agents are $%&*$@ etc, etc, is wrong. Some of us do go out of our way to cater for the needs of would be tenants or purchasers.

 

Being long term members of Poms in Oz; we go out of our way to find accommodation for newly arrived members of Poms in Oz.

 

Most of our rental properties are within a 20 minute drive from our Agency in Carramar; so viewing by appointment is no problem at all.

 

Bobcat aka John Mason

Principal/Licensee John Mason Real Estate - Carramar

[Jackboots]

Thats what i was saying bob , there are some like yourself that were willing to do a private viewing , where as most do it all at once in a time slot , i suppose thats so they are not gallivanting all over the state at all times of the day! but as a rule its hard when your working for both to get to the viewing sessions if working depending on hours and occupation. ( for us it was, both working me sats and oh strange hrs).

[Bobcat]

Thats what i was saying bob , there are some like yourself that were willing to do a private viewing , where as most do it all at once in a time slot , i suppose thats so they are not gallivanting all over the state at all times of the day! but as a rule its hard when your working for both to get to the viewing sessions if working depending on hours and occupation. ( for us it was, both working me sats and oh strange hrs).

 

Normally; Michelle my Property Manager goes out and does the viewings but if she isn't available for whatever reason............ one of our family members arranges to meet people on-site instead.

 

We rented a house for 10 months whilst our place in Golf Links Drive was being built; so we know from first hand experience how so far up themselves some of these oitey-toitey property managers are!

 

When we first started our rent roll we made an in-house policy that we would never treat any of our tenants; or would-be tenants the way we were treated.

 

We are engaged to look after the best interests of our Landlords.......... but it is vital too that we keep the tenant happy.

[Jackboots]

shame you arn't south of the river too. certainly been a shock for us over here , we rent our house out in the uk and its a different ball game as or agent rents for us said ( they have to live) , we had really good agents for our first house in the hills though down here they seem a bit odd , and unorganized we have a gushing tap at the mo and i mean fountain in your face , 3 times they have been told nothing as yet! :huh:oh well !

[Guest klong]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. We've just got back to my family's house now after a full day of house hunting and I am cream crackered!! :SLEEP:

 

Got up early, bought the paper, circled the ones that sounded lovely, a few had already been rented or weren't doing viewings until tomorrow and the ones we saw were either too small or not what we were looking for.

 

We were feeling a bit miffed so went to Hillarys to have lunch and then sat on the wall eating ice cream and watching the world go by. This perked us up enough to keep going! Those are the sort of experiences that we wouldn't be having at home at the beginning of April!!

 

I have driven from Wanneroo to Butler to Dianella to Balcatta to Hillarys to Clarkson to Marangaroo to Tapping and others I can't even remember so I think I'll put my feet up now and search the internet! :idea:

 

I am determined I will be in somewhere soon and will posting good news on here instead! We have seen the perfect house that we have handed an application in for and I also enclosed a lovely long letter explaining our situation and creeping basically!! If that fails then I'm gonna wear a short skirt and get the push-up bra out!!! Lol, I am kidding by the way!:jiggy:

[keily]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. We've just got back to my family's house now after a full day of house hunting and I am cream crackered!! :SLEEP:

 

Got up early, bought the paper, circled the ones that sounded lovely, a few had already been rented or weren't doing viewings until tomorrow and the ones we saw were either too small or not what we were looking for.

 

We were feeling a bit miffed so went to Hillarys to have lunch and then sat on the wall eating ice cream and watching the world go by. This perked us up enough to keep going! Those are the sort of experiences that we wouldn't be having at home at the beginning of April!!

 

I have driven from Wanneroo to Butler to Dianella to Balcatta to Hillarys to Clarkson to Marangaroo to Tapping and others I can't even remember so I think I'll put my feet up now and search the internet!

 

I am determined I will be in somewhere soon and will posting good news on here instead! We have seen the perfect house that we have handed an application in for and I also enclosed a lovely long letter explaining our situation and creeping basically!! If that fails then I'm gonna wear a short skirt and get the push-up bra out!!! Lol, I am kidding by the way!:jiggy:

 

 

fingers crossed ...and if u are gona wear a mini skirt then legs crossed too :twitcy:

mrs keily

[rach28]

And for Bluebuds post. That is not what im saying, and i am not a twenty something year old, im actualy in my thirty's. I wish i was bustie but after having 3 children, i seriously dont look good in a bikini no more. My husband has always gone with me, who in fact is covered in tatoos down his arms to my disgust. And the 3 children have come with us. What i was trying to say was your personality, make an impression. As another poster said the agent couldnt remember them from the viewing. Make yourself be remembered, make yourself stick out from the others. The places we have viewed we have had male and females show us around.

 

 

Rachael

[Guest gilly88]

I have been here 5 weeks and yes agree with OP what a nightmare we have finally secured a property well overpriced but our belongings have arrived we are having to pay 480 per week and had to pay 6 months upfront to secure. The agent said the guy was very particular when we went for theviewing I nearly died the place was filthy I could have cried but what do you do. Most of the agents are rude and it is getting more difficult to rent here also the house prices to buy are astronomical. After losing so much money in the UK and now being fleeced here I wonder if we will ever get our own home.

[mrcatania]

Hi

 

I'm new to the forum and have also just moved to Perth from the UK. After waiting so long to get here and after having been here before, I am so sad how things are turning out at the moment.

 

I know everyone says it takes a while to settle in and I have lived here before so knew what to expect but things have really changed here since I lived here 4 years ago.

 

My husband and I are trying to rent a home and it seems impossible. For a start viewings are mostly held during normal working hours when we're both in work so we're either having to take time off or send a family member in our place. Then we fill in the lengthy application forms and hand over every single detail of our life to the agents and we're just not having any luck and have been turned down for every house because we haven't been here long enough.

 

We both have full time jobs and are tidy, respectable people with no pets or kids but we just can't rent a house. We've gone from wanting to spend $350 per week to now viewing properties at $450 per week but still no luck. It's heartbreaking to keep finding a nice hose and then going through all the palaver of taking time off work, viewing the property, filling in the forms and then getting turned down again.

 

We have all our furniture now sitting in the removalists storage as it's been through customs and is just waiting for us to find a house so we can have it delivered. I am despearte to start our life in Oz properly but until we have a home it just won't happen.

 

We already feel like we've compromised on so much as my husband is a qualified, experienced teacher and he just can't find work in his field even though all the adverts scream how desperate they are for teachers here. He has now started working in construction because of this and we never see each other because we're both working much longer hours than we did at home. We are prepared to work hard to establish ourselves but I feel like I shoud at least be able to expect my own home in return for all the extra work.

 

We came here to start a family but it feels like Perth just doesn't support 'the family' anymore as mothers and fathers both have to work full time and long hours just to afford a rent and living expenses. We keep being told to 'go up the mines' but this is not what we came here for. I don't want to be away from my husband for weeks on end just to pay a rent.

 

Please tell me we're not alone and this will all be over soon!!! Sorry to be a moany old Pom but Paradise ain't all it's cracked up to be!!!:arghh:

I can tell you that you are not alone. I am going through the same... job, accommodation issues, the lot. This is not what I was expecting either and is alot different from 3 years ago when I was last here. My solution unfortunately is to hop on a plane back home. I too came here to move onwards and upwards. Is my life better now than this time last year?..... NO! Infact the complete opposite. it doesn't look like it will ever be better here, not in the near future anyway.

[Guest klong]

It's rubbish isn't it?!! I really thought things would be a little easier than this and I wasn't expecting much but I certainly wasn't thinking it was going to be this bad.

 

You struggle to get a job, then struggle to get somewhere to live and then struggle to make ends meet! When does the fun start??!!

 

My husband is a trainee labourer here but at home he was a qualified teacher. We both drove nice cars at home and now we're driving 11 year old cars. We had a nice city centre apartment at home and now we're living with my parents and getting turned down for every rental we go for. I have to try and have a sense of humour about it because otherwise I'd be seriously depressed! People said to expect to take a step back when you get to Oz but this is more than a step back, it's a lifetime back. It's like we just left Uni and are starting out from scratch.

[Guest guest17301]

what do you expect you just got here! Yes its bloody tough but keep the faith chances are 6 months in you'll be laughing. Depends on what your long term goals are. Nobody said it was all fun from the word go did they? I do sympathise with the housing thing agents are mostly very poor. Try david jones in wanneroo, I found them very professional and they have a great up to date list out weekly.

[Que Sera Sera]

Blighmy this thread is really scary, I know quite a few couples who have come out and got rentals and jobs quite quickly in the last few months, were they just lucky then??

[Bobcat]

It's rubbish isn't it?!! I really thought things would be a little easier than this and I wasn't expecting much but I certainly wasn't thinking it was going to be this bad.

 

You struggle to get a job, then struggle to get somewhere to live and then struggle to make ends meet! When does the fun start??!!

 

My husband is a trainee labourer here but at home he was a qualified teacher. We both drove nice cars at home and now we're driving 11 year old cars. We had a nice city centre apartment at home and now we're living with my parents and getting turned down for every rental we go for. I have to try and have a sense of humour about it because otherwise I'd be seriously depressed! People said to expect to take a step back when you get to Oz but this is more than a step back, it's a lifetime back. It's like we just left Uni and are starting out from scratch.

 

 

What are you actually after......... what area......... what price range?

 

We have rental properties on our books that we don't even advertise.

 

Is a 4 X 2 in Tapping any use to you; or a 4 x 2 in Banksia Grove; or a 4 x 1 with a pool in Wanneroo; or a 5 X 3 in Currambine, or a 3 X 1 in Nollamara?

 

There are several Agents regularly on these Migrant Forums........... have you used any of them?

 

Good Luck

[Mongrel]

I have been here 5 weeks and yes agree with OP what a nightmare we have finally secured a property well overpriced but our belongings have arrived we are having to pay 480 per week and had to pay 6 months upfront to secure. The agent said the guy was very particular when we went for theviewing I nearly died the place was filthy I could have cried but what do you do. Most of the agents are rude and it is getting more difficult to rent here also the house prices to buy are astronomical. After losing so much money in the UK and now being fleeced here I wonder if we will ever get our own home.

 

Tons in the norther n top burbs for good quality clean 4 x2`s not playin tonite Fi i`m sore

[landv]

It's rubbish isn't it?!! I really thought things would be a little easier than this and I wasn't expecting much but I certainly wasn't thinking it was going to be this bad.

 

You struggle to get a job, then struggle to get somewhere to live and then struggle to make ends meet! When does the fun start??!!

 

My husband is a trainee labourer here but at home he was a qualified teacher. We both drove nice cars at home and now we're driving 11 year old cars. We had a nice city centre apartment at home and now we're living with my parents and getting turned down for every rental we go for. I have to try and have a sense of humour about it because otherwise I'd be seriously depressed! People said to expect to take a step back when you get to Oz but this is more than a step back, it's a lifetime back. It's like we just left Uni and are starting out from scratch.

 

 

What did you expect?That the aussies will wait for you with open arm at the airport and offer you a job straight away with a nice rental house thrown in there?

 

It is bloody hard work and people who are are making the move have to be prepared for all these set backs. It is still hard work for us after two years never mind just being off the plane!

We had to start from scratch like everybody else, but we were prepared for it. We knew we will have nothing when we arrive.

 

It's damn hard to start a new life on the other side of the world, I cannot understand why people don't prepare themselves and then they surprised that it is not what they expected.

Rant is over.:mad:

[legoman]

What did you expect?That the aussies will wait for you with open arm at the airport and offer you a job straight away with a nice rental house thrown in there?

 

It is bloody hard work and people who are are making the move have to be prepared for all these set backs. It is still hard work for us after two years never mind just being off the plane!

We had to start from scratch like everybody else, but we were prepared for it. We knew we will have nothing when we arrive.

 

It's damn hard to start a new life on the other side of the world, I cannot understand why people don't prepare themselves and then they surprised that it is not what they expected.

Rant is over.:mad:

 

 

 

Hey gotta go easy, all the research and preparation cannot cover the realism of how difficult things are, simple things need to be sorted, no network of people in a lot of cases to help, sometimes new arrivals feel much better after letting frustrations go, new arrivals need reassurances more than anything, and each persons nightmare is different from anothers :spinny:

[Guest klong]

I really can't understand why people assume that we came over here expecting a free ride and for our lives to be really easy. We work damn hard for everything we have both here and in the UK. We have never expected anything for free or ever been lucky enough to have things handed to us on a plate. Neither of us have ever claimed dole, job seekers allowance or any other kind of benefit. I feel like people think we're asking for the moon on a stick when all I really want is a home for us to get on with our lives. I wasn't expecting a welcome party at the airport but I certainly wasn't expecting the cold shoulder at every turn.

 

I have lived here before in Perth and things were never this hard last time I was here. I have planned and planned this move and nothing could have prepared me for the changes. We were turned down for our third rental today and that was even having someone offering to act as a guarantor for us. We gave copies of every payslip we had since we arrived here, photocopies of our passport, bank card, Medicare card and WA driving licence. It seems that in order to get a property now you need to pay 6 months rent upfront to even be in the running. A property we went to view the other day had about 15 couples viewing it!

 

Good luck to anyone who is going through the same thing as us. It's not pleasant and I hope that you all succeed and can have a good life here in Perth. Fingers crossed to you all.

 

P.S Hi bobcat, we have been looking in Jindalee, Butler, Quinns Rocks, Tapping, Sinagra, Diannella, Balcatta, Balga, Madeley etc etc etc!!! We are after a 3x2 or a 4x2 and preferably something new or older but with a neutral decor. We have beautiful new furniture sitting in storage waiting to be delivered and all I ask is that the property is clean and nice looking. I have seen some properties with pink and cream swirly patterened carpets with yellow stains all over it and while I'm not a snob, I do draw the line at filthy dirty places that I'd be scared to walk in without shoes on!!

[Guest]

Well if your theory is right we dont stand a chance, my OH looks like a football hooligan and is covered in tattoos and I am overweight and over 40, although I do have quite big boobs!!:wink::biglaugh:

 

ha-ha you sound just like us - OH isn't a scouser is he??

 

I've got to say we played the 'happy family' card. Our son was five then and pretty well behaved - it certainly made us look more normal (& OH wore a long sleeved shirt!)

 

Jules

[Guest klong]

Ha ha I think I might ask one of my mum's mates if I can borrow one of their kids!! Only a good one though!! Lol, I will try anything at this point!!:biglaugh:

[keily]

I really can't understand why people assume that we came over here expecting a free ride and for our lives to be really easy. We work damn hard for everything we have both here and in the UK. We have never expected anything for free or ever been lucky enough to have things handed to us on a plate. Neither of us have ever claimed dole, job seekers allowance or any other kind of benefit. I feel like people think we're asking for the moon on a stick when all I really want is a home for us to get on with our lives. I wasn't expecting a welcome party at the airport but I certainly wasn't expecting the cold shoulder at every turn.

 

I have lived here before in Perth and things were never this hard last time I was here. I have planned and planned this move and nothing could have prepared me for the changes. We were turned down for our third rental today and that was even having someone offering to act as a guarantor for us. We gave copies of every payslip we had since we arrived here, photocopies of our passport, bank card, Medicare card and WA driving licence. It seems that in order to get a property now you need to pay 6 months rent upfront to even be in the running. A property we went to view the other day had about 15 couples viewing it!

 

Good luck to anyone who is going through the same thing as us. It's not pleasant and I hope that you all succeed and can have a good life here in Perth. Fingers crossed to you all.

 

P.S Hi bobcat, we have been looking in Jindalee, Butler, Quinns Rocks, Tapping, Sinagra, Diannella, Balcatta, Balga, Madeley etc etc etc!!! We are after a 3x2 or a 4x2 and preferably something new or older but with a neutral decor. We have beautiful new furniture sitting in storage waiting to be delivered and all I ask is that the property is clean and nice looking. I have seen some properties with pink and cream swirly patterened carpets with yellow stains all over it and while I'm not a snob, I do draw the line at filthy dirty places that I'd be scared to walk in without shoes on!!

 

hi there ...maybe u need to look at different suburbs ...the first 3 u have mentioned are relatively new and may not be a high turnover of rentals .... the last 3 are older not so sought after so may be the reason they are dirty ...etc .....hope u find summit soon ...i know how frustratin it is as im doin the same thing at the mo ...and just put in application this morn ...so fingers crossed ...have u tried http://www.gumtree.com.au ....they have a few rentals in ur area on there

 

mrs keily

[Guest SO,DIZZY]

We had the same problems in melbourne,, the difference was that my hubby came out two months before us and we followed on when he got a rental i did the research online in the uk and found the properties he did the viewing , it got so minotinus with the amount of people turning up at veiwings for just a 15 min window

ultimatly there was just so many people for the agent to remember that he eventually latched on to one particular agent and phoned her every day twice and in the end after he saw this house he offered more money for the property , he was prepared to offer 20aud a week extra , they didnt take the twenty but they took 15aud (probibly going towards agents bmw) but we had a rental and the agent had shot of my OH

I was pretty mad at my OH for doing this thinking that its only adding to the problem of pushing up rents but when you are between a rock and a hard place you go that extra yard... its worth a try for th next good house you see....