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Found a rental property you like? When you’re ready to apply, it’s important to make sure you stand out as the perfect tenant. Here’s how to make it happen.

Remember this: A prospective landlord/property manager only really cares about three key things:

  • That you pay your rent on time;
  • That you don’t damage the apartment; and
  • That you don’t cause any problems with your fellow tenants. Here are six easy strategies to help you make your case.

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Use these tips to make the best impression possible:

Look at rental properties you know you can afford:

Landlords/property managers are tasked with finding the ideal tenant to suit the property. A tenant who can pay the rent on time every week, fortnight or month will stand out in their books. A simple way to start the application process smoothly is thinking about how much you can afford on your income (consider the ‘30% of your income’ rule) and look at rentals that sit at (or under) this amount.

Be aware of your database history

Every prospective landlord/property manager wants to know your income is steady and that you have a good history of making payments on time. If you know you have a few blemishes in your tenancy database history, bring up any potential issues and have an explanation ready as to why and how those circumstances have changed.

If you think there may be issues on your national tenancy file, use RentCheck to prepare yourself before you send your rental applications. RentCheck will identify any issues with identify verification, court records, your National Tenancy Database history and bankruptcy.

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Come financially prepared

A landlord/property manager will ask for a rental bond, ‘bond’ or ‘security deposit’ when you agree to rent a new property. This amount is usually equal to one months’ rent, but it varies from state to state. You will need to have this money ready when you sign the lease.

RentBond is a convenient way to pay your rental bond. When you’re approved for RentBond, we’ll pay your loan either directly to your agent or to your nominated bank account.

Dress the part for the inspection

Have you booked a time to view/inspect the property you like? This is your opportunity to meet the landlord/property manager managing the rental and ask questions about the property. First impressions count, so make sure to dress well on the day of the inspection. Consider putting together an outfit you would wear to meet your partner’s parents for the first time – smart casual gives a neat and tidy look and will give the landlord/agent some comfort – if they can see you take care of yourself, it bodes well for how you’d look after a property.

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Arrive on time to the inspection

Rental viewings don’t last long. Typically you’ll have less than 15 minutes to view the property and make some decisions. If the landlord/property manager has noted a viewing time between 3-3.15PM, make sure you arrive a few minutes early, just as you would with a job interview.

Arriving on time is common courtesy, but it also subliminally sends a message to the landlord/property manager that you’re punctual in your habits and are likely to be punctual in paying your rent.

Don’t hide the fact you have a pet

It’s a known fact that some landlord/property managers will avoid leasing properties to renters with pets. Take the guesswork out of the process – the agent can’t know your dog is going to be well-behaved and house-trained. Make use of rent.com.au’s Pet Resume tool to build a pet profile for your furry friend, and explain your pet’s good behaviour and demeanour.

Following these six tips will show your future landlord or property manager that you will be a responsible tenant who is going to take care of their apartment. Best practice? Apply for rentals as if you were applying for a new job. In both situations, the ratio of qualified applicants to openings is high, so you may be up against strong competition. So if you’re genuinely interested in your apartment, set yourself apart from others being considered.

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