You’ve followed our guide and have been successful in finding a rental property, but where to from here? These are the next steps on setting up your rental once you have secured a place.
First things first: getting your utilities connected
You don’t want to be left in the dark without power on your first day in your new property. A couple of days before you are scheduled to move into your new property, take some time to research and find a new provider. You can organise to have this set up for the first day of your lease agreement, however this will have to be done a few days in advance.
Update your contact information & change your address
When you move from one place to another, it is important to ensure your contact information is up to date. The list of places is quite extensive and includes the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Australian Post and Maritime Services (RMS). For a full list, check out the Service NSW website so you don’t forget anything. This includes putting in a redirection for all your mail.
Contents Insurance
A commonly overlooked issue for renters is getting contents insurance. Although the home insurance will be covered by the landlord, you will need to ensure you have contents insurance in place in the event that your items are lost, damaged or stolen. Different policies cover different items, so you’ll need to read through the small print to work out which one offers you the most appropriate coverage.
Plan what to put where
As you begin packing your items, label the boxes with the name of the room they are intended for. This will help make it much easier for yourself later down the track when you get to unpacking as you will have a better idea of where everything is and the contents. Make sure you also have a day pack ready to go that includes all the essentials that you may need to grab first while unpacking. This may include a phone charger, medications, food, water and any items for pets or kids.
Moving from A to B
Ask friends or family if they can help out moving, even if they’re just an extra set of hands it really helps. Not only will it make the entire process easier and lighter work, but you’ll also save money on hiring removalists. Of course, hiring removalists is sometimes unavoidable, so be sure to keep an eye out for the best deal possible. Don’t forget to shout your mates a beer and some pizza if they are giving you a hand to thank them for their time!
Do a thorough clean
While your property should be handed to you in good condition and ready for new occupants, it is always a good idea to do a thorough clean. It is a good time to ensure all of the hard to reach places are looked over before you start moving all of the furniture in.
Fill in the condition report
Make sure you dedicate time to filling in your condition report and marking off items as you come to them. During your initial tour of the property, add any important observations and record as much details as you can. It is good practice to take plenty of photos for the condition report as well.