Leasing commercial retail and residential properties - tips by Clearpoint
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| Commercial leasing guide | Retail leasing guide | Residential leasing guide |
What do you need to do to secure a property to lease?
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Contact Clearpoint and give a brief of your requirements. You can phone us on 1300 325 327 or
submit a FREE Property Search form.
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One of our agents will carry out a search of the market including all other agents listings and send you a list of properties that may be suitable.
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Contact your agent and arrange a time to inspect a shortlist of the properties.
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Select a suitable property (or two).
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Send an offer in writing to us. You can send a short form offer with basic terms like rent and length of lease (ask your agent for assistance with this). You can also use our Application for Tenancy found here.
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If negotiations are successful a lease proposal (or Heads of Agreement) will be drawn up which you will be asked to sign. This summarises basic terms agreed between parties.
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Pay a deposit of one to two month rent to our Trust Account (ask your agent for details). If you withdraw before signing the lease the Lessor's legal costs are deducted from the deposit and any balance returned to you.
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Once the deposit is received the Heads of Agreement will be sent to both the lessor’s solicitor and your solicitor to prepare a lease. Some further negotiations may occur at this point. Once all terms are finalised both parties sign the lease.
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The deposit paid into our Trust Account is then usually applied toward your first rent payment.
- Once you have secured premises we can assist you with your relocation and the fit out of the property before you move in. Our affiliates also offer complementary services we are happy to recommend to you.
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Contacting us
Our office hours are typically Monday to Friday 10am to 5.30pm. On Saturdays our leasing agents are contactable on their mobile phones.
Note all requests for repairs or anything affecting the property or the lease must be submitted in writing.
For a prompt response contact us by email on info@clearpoint.com.au or fax 1300 325 329.
Emergencies
If you need help with an emergency after hours, call 1300 325 327 first and leave a detailed message with your contact details. One of our staff is copied all messages by text and email.
If you do not receive a response within a reasonable period please refer to the emergency contacts noted on the bottom of your lease and the terms within your lease regarding emergencies. This is typically a $500 maximum reimbursement for works carried out in an emergency only, provided you gave our office a reasonable opportunity to handle things first.
Paying Rent
Your most fundamental obligation under the lease is to pay the rent on time. If for any reason you are having, or are likely to have, any difficulty with paying rent talk to us as soon as possible.
Rent is due in advance on or before the due date. We do not accept cash payments for rent, except during the initial letting. We strongly recommend you use direct debit or our Rentmate system to pay your rent. If you are in any doubt about when you are paid up to, please ask us for a tenant ledger.
If your rent falls into arrears we will remind initially you via phone or SMS. If your rent falls further into arrears, we will write to you and call. If your arrears reach 14 days, we will issue you with a Lease Termination Notice. You will then have the choice of paying in full by the termination date, or vacating the property.
Maintaining the Property
Your second major obligation is to maintain the property in the condition you find it (subject to ordinary wear and tear). It is important that you check the ingoing Condition Report annexed to your lease as this forms the basis upon which we judge this when you eventually vacate.
Rental Bond
Your rental bond is lodged with the NSW Office of Fair Trading and held as security against any damage to the property. You cannot “allow for bond” when calculating any rent you may owe.
Your bond will be refunded to within a few working days after you have vacated the property, provided the rent is paid in full and all cleaning and/or repairs have been completed and accounted for.
Routine Inspections
We will carry out periodic inspections to check the general condition of the property and necessary maintenance. You will receive a minimum of seven days written notice before any routine inspection.
Inspections will be undertaken using our management key regardless of whether you are present or not, although you will be given the opportunity to attend.
Repairs
Under the lease you agree to notify us of any damage or repairs required at the property.
You must always contact our office in writing regarding repairs. You can email info@clearpoint.com.au, or fill out a Repairs Request form and fax it to 1300 325 329, or post it to Clearpoint, P.O. Box 490, Lane Cove NSW 1595.
Utilities
It is your responsibility to arrange for the connection of all utility services, such as phone, electricity, gas, cable TV and internet. We recommend a free service called On The Move which makes all arrangements for you. When you leave the property it is also your responsibility to arrange disconnection of all services. On The Move can also handle this for you at no cost.
Terminating Your Lease Early
If you choose to break your tenancy agreement we can usually assist you. You must continue to pay rent until; the property is re-let and the new tenant is paying rent, or; the end of the tenancy agreement, whichever is sooner.
You must pay for reasonable re-letting costs, usually equal to two weeks rent + GST. You must also pay for all advertising costs incurred by us in the process of securing a new tenant.
Giving Notice of Termination
When giving notice to end the lease it must be in writing and signed by all tenants on the lease. An email is not sufficient. If your fixed term has expired you are required to give 21 days notice.
Final Inspection
When vacating please refer to your Ingoing Condition Report as this will be the guideline for the final inspection. If there is any work required to bring the property back to the condition noted in the report or as required under any lease terms, we will organise a professional to rectify this and account to you accordingly.
Please be very clear that you will not be permitted to re-enter the property to conduct your own repairs or cleaning once vacant possession is given. Rent is charged up to and including the day that all keys are returned to our office.
After the final inspection, we will account to you for the costs of any work required and for any rent due, then finalise any bond refund due to you. You will receive this refund from the Rental Bond Board. We do not transfer Bond money to your next tenancy.
Insurance
It is your responsibility to insure your own belongings and furniture.
Sub-leasing
You are not permitted to sub-lease the property without the landlord's consent.
The Renting Guide
More information can be found in the Office of Fair Trading “Renting Guide” provided when you signed the lease. A copy can be found here.
If you are concerned about anything relating to your tenancy please simply phone us.
