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• Vacancy Rates in Adelaide 2008
  Tuesday, October 28, 2008
  The vacancy rate for Adelaide has continued its decline to 1.07% in September and shows no signs of easing heading into the peak period for rentals, the Real Estate Institute of SA (REISA) said.
   
• Accidental Damage vs Wear and Tear
  Thursday, May 22, 2008
  Some landlords have unrealistic expectations that their property will remain in exactly the same condition at the end of the lease as when tenants first move in. The reality is though, that wear and tear on a rental property will occur over time.
  
  Landlords should expect a level of wear and tear on their rental property while it is being tenanted. It is important to understand the difference between accidental damage and wear and tear.
  
  While tailored landlord insurance may cover claims for accidental damage, wear and tear is generally excluded and cannot be claimed.
  Accidental damage is defined as being caused by a sudden and unexpected event; this might include spilling red wine on the carpet. In contrast, wear and tear accumulates over time.
  
  An example might be carpets. Depending on the quality of the carpet, its life span could be five to seven years. This means that if a tenant has been in the property for a number of years, you can expect there to be signs of foot traffic and flattened or bare patches.
  In insurance terms the carpet has not been damaged accidentally or maliciously, but may be in a reasonable condition given the tenants time in the property.
  
  Its like living in your own home over time there will be signs you have lived there, but this wear and tear cannot be claimed on insurance.
  One of the main reasons landlords confuse wear and tear for accidental damage is because after leasing their property they often dont see it again until the end of the rental agreement.
  
  This is why it is important to carry out regular inspections and advise Landlords on the propertys upkeep.
  
  Examples of accidental damage
  Spilling red wine on carpet
  Hole in the wall caused by tenant moving furniture
  Cracked floor tiles after a heavy saucepan is dropped
  
  Examples of wear and tear
  Foot traffic marks on carpets
  Scuff marks on floor coverings
  Minor scratches/scuff marks on paintwork
  Dirty hand marks on curtains/blinds
  Grease accumulated in the stove range hood filter
   
• Good tenants are too good to lose
  Wednesday, March 12, 2008
  Landlords who raise their rents too high risk losing good long-term
  tenants.
  
  Following recent interest rate rises and in line with current low rental
  vacancy rates, some landlords may be tempted to increase rents.
  Rising interest rates are likely to be taken into consideration by
  landlords when leases on their properties come up for renewal so it is
  understandable that landlords may need to raise their rents to keep
  pace with rising costs. However, financial considerations should be
  balanced against the importance of keeping good tenants in a
  property.
  Unreasonably high rent increases may prompt the angry departure of
  good long-term tenants, leaving empty rental properties generating no
  income for weeks, it could turn out to be a very costly affair.
  
  The message is simple: don�t take good tenants for granted.
  
  A tenant who pays their rent on time and maintains your property is well
  worth keeping. This doesn�t mean you should never raise the rent, but
  think carefully if you are considering a significant increase. In some
  cases it may be worthwhile �rewarding� good long-term tenants by
  keeping rent rises to a minimum.
  Given that it can take four to six weeks to re-let a rental property, you
  need to weigh up the benefit of an annual rent increase against the
  cost of losing a good tenant. The legal guidelines relating to when a
  landlord can raise the rent and under what circumstances vary from
  state to state, and landlords considering a rent rise should check with
  their relevant rental tenancies authority.
  When raising the rent, many landlords with long-term tenants often
  forget to review the bond amount. In a scenario where a tenant has
  lived in a property for a number of years with regular rent increases,
  the bond that was lodged may eventually fall short of the requirement
  for a certain number of weeks� worth of rent. If you are raising the
  rent, make sure you also consider a �top up� of the bond amount. You
  should check with your relevant state authority for guidelines on this.
   
• Landlord Insurance: GET 15 FOR 12
  Tuesday, January 22, 2008
  TERRI SCHEER INSURANCE BROKERS are offering landlords 15 months cover for the price of 12 months.
  
  From the 1st of January until the 30th of June 2008, every Landlord who purchases and of the Terri Scheers policies and the policy commences during the period of the promotion, will pay the usual twelve month premium, but will receive 15 months cover - that�s an extra three months!
  
  The landlord automatically qualifies when cover is effected during the period of the promotion and is available for new policies only, it is not available for renewals.
  
  Terri Scheer Insurance Brokers is the only insurance provider to specialise in landlord insurance. Their policies provide an affordable cover for the unique risks that come with owning a residential rental property. Terri Scheer Landlord Insurance is the smart choice for property investors and under current tax laws the premium is tax deductible.
  
  VISIT: www.terrischeer.com.au
   

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