Commencing Your Tenancy

Your Lease

The length of your lease will generally be 12 months and will be noted on the actual Lease. The start and end date are indicated on your lease. Please retain your copy of the lease for your records.

Qld tenants, please read the Pocket Guide for tenants – houses and units (Form 17A) prior to signing your lease agreement. 

Moving In

It is important to remember to update your address details with people and businesses you deal with. Some examples are:

  • Phone Company;
  • Banks;
  • Insurance Companies (Contents and Car);
  • Centrelink;
  • Child Care;
  • Dentist;
  • Doctor;
  • Department of Transport—Licence & Registration;
  • Electoral Commission;
  • Medicare;
  • Health Fund; 
  • Post Office;
  • Schools; and
  • The Australian Tax Office.

Confidentiality and Personal Information

Horizon Housing Realty only collects information from you that is necessary for us to manage your tenancy. The personal information Horizon Housing Realty holds about you will depend on the services we provide for you. If you believe the personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date, you should inform us as soon as possible.

All information, including personal information, collected by Horizon Housing Realty is treated as confidential and is protected by the Privacy Act 1988. Your written consent will be requested should we need to share this information with any external party. More information about our Privacy Policy can be found here.

Entry Condition Reports

You are required to complete an Entry Condition Report at the beginning of your tenancy. This is your chance to record details and make comments about the condition of the property. This is important if there are any disagreements about the condition of the property at the end of the tenancy.

You are required to return the report within 3 working days after the start of your tenancy.

Our staff will sign the Entry Condition Report and send a copy to you by mail within 14 days.

Bond

Rental Bonds are lodged by Horizon Housing Realty with the relevant State Government agency for safe keeping during your tenancy. Your bond must be paid prior to signing up for the property. Horizon Housing Realty Property Managers will explain the process to you.

How Your Rent is Calculated

Rent is agreed with the owner based upon a Comparative Market Analysis of properties current rented and available in the current rental climate. 

Affordable rents are calculated based upon a percentage of the market valuation rent of the property. 

All rents are reviewed at the end of the lease term and your Property Manager will contact you in relation to this when required.

Paying Rent

Our preferred method of rent payment is via your PayWay card.  Using your PayWay card you can make payment of rent, bond and other invoices through the following methods:

  • BPAY via your internet banking – to pay via BPay from a bank account use the Biller Code and Reference
  • Direct Debit via the PayWay website – to register for Direct Debit visit https://www.payway.com.au/register-direct-debit
  • Present your PayWay card at Australia Post outlets to pay with cash, cheque or Eftpos or cash

Your PayWay card will include your unique identification number.

If you are a Centrelink recipient and would like to establish a direct debit using the Centrelink Centrepay process, please click here for our Centrepay form for you to complete and upload to the Centrelink portal.

Water Charges

Your property meets the Water Efficiency and Labelling Standard (WELS) criteria.  The tenant is therefore responsible for all water consumption charges. 

Please refer to the following fact sheets for further information on water charges:

QLD - RTA Water Charging Fact Sheet

SA - Water and Other Charges

NSW – Water, Electricity and Gas in Rental Properties

Keys

In line with Residential Tenancy legislation you will be provided with one entry key for each adult on your lease agreement, together with one key for all other doors. It is your responsibility to get a second set cut if you need to. You must not give the keys to anyone who does not live in the property. We will not give your keys to anyone else. If you lose your keys, you are responsible for replacing them. If you get a second set of keys cut you must inform your Property Manager and provide details of who they have been given to.

If you are locked out during office hours, you can come to our office and we can give you a spare set which you must return immediately. If you are locked out of your house outside office hours, and you need to get in, you will have to call a locksmith at your own expense.

Safety and Security

Being safe and securing your home

  • Open your door only to people you know and trust.
  • If someone is at the door and you are alone and feeling insecure, pretend there is someone else in the house.
  • Don't give your name, phone number, address to unknown telephone callers.
  • Make sure your house number is easy to see from the street both day and night.
  • Trim bushes and trees that obscure windows and could be used as hiding places by intruders.
  • Have valuables engraved - contact your local police station for details.
  • Plan at least two escape routes so you can leave your home quickly in an emergency.
  • Store emergency numbers in the speed dials of your phone or keep them written beside your phone.

If there's an intruder

  • If you're at home and find an intruder, you could:
  • Activate the burglar alarm (if one is installed)
  • Get to the nearest phone and quietly call the police
  • Switch on lights and make a lot of noise moving about, but do not confront the intruder
  • If the intruder confronts you, shout and scream if you believe this noise might be heard by a neighbour.
  • If you arrive home and suspect an intruder is inside, do not enter the house. Go to a neighbour's house and call the police on Triple Zero (000). Keep out of sight and a safe distance from the house.