FAQS

The primary objective of a Property Manager is to manage and maintain rental properties on behalf of the property owner. We are responsible for advertising and marketing your property, screening and selecting tenants and acting as an intermediary between tenant and owner throughout the tenancy. This also includes collecting rent and ensuring the property is maintained at the same standard as upon entry (fair wear and tear excepted).

Errigal Property’s key difference is our unique amalgamation of property management services with our inhouse maintenance team that can help increase your return on investment and lower the costs of keeping your property in good repair. With a licensed builder on the team, we are also able to identify any emerging issues with your property that others may not. No other agency in Brisbane offers property management and maintenance together in one place.

We see what others don’t!

It doesn’t have to be! Errigal Property can help you take the hassle out of the switch by attending to all the paperwork on your behalf.  There are some things you do need to consider prior to making the switch:

• Management Agreement: check your agreement to ensure there’s nothing preventing you from leaving prior to a specific date.
• Notice times: your current agent will require written notice in accordance with legislation – this may range from 30 to 90 days.

Once the legalities have been taken care of, simply let us know and we can take care of the rest. Or contact us by phone or through our enquiry form, and we can guide you through the process.

Absolutely. We work for you. Your control over your investment remains unchanged, we just take the hassle out of the day-to-day management.

The time it takes to rent your property can depend on a large range of factors – time of year, availability, demand, price, and advertising.

The must crucial element is to get the price right, which starts with a thorough appraisal. Marketing your property in the right way can really help reduce vacancy time as well. The high demand for rental properties in Brisbane also factor in – few houses are spending a long time vacant in this climate.

Errigal Property has a great track record in attracting tenants quickly with our innovative marketing campaigns and thorough appraisals, however we also place great emphasis on matching the right tenant with your property.

We conduct quarterly routine inspections, and you are welcome to attend with us on any of these occasions. Tenants must be issued the required entry notices and given appropriate notice periods prior to entering the property. These vary depending on the reason for entry.

A tenant can break their lease early, however, there are penalties associated with this. They are required to pay rent until a new tenant has been found and also pay the reletting fee of the sum total of one week’s rent.

There are also special considerations for those living in domestic violence situations. For more information, please consult with your property manager or see the RTA website.

Landlord insurance protects you as the owner from the risks associated with renting your property, which can include any damage sustained during the tenancy, loss of rental income, theft or expenses related to eviction processes. It can also protect the owner in the instance that the tenant is injured on our property or in the case of damages occurred by natural disasters. We highly recommend that landlords take out the required insurance to protect themselves from such situations.

Errigal Property adopts a firm but fair approach to tenants who fall into arrears. Text reminders are sent to tenants when 3 days in arrears and again at 5 days. Breach notices are issued when rent is 7 days behind as per legislative requirements. We understand that things can occur in tenants’ lives that can cause legitimate reasons for late payment of rent, and we work with both the owner and tenant to resolve the process.

Should arrangements not be honoured, we would, in consultation with the owner, proceed with the termination of the lease. Ultimately we aim to mitigate owner losses while still being fair to tenants going through difficult times.

Changes were made to legislation on 1 October 2022 regarding pets in tenancies. The key changes state:

• Lessors must provide a response to a tenant’s request to keep a pet within 14 days. Otherwise, the request is deemed ‘approved’
• Lessors must have a specific reason under prescribed grounds to refuse a tenant’s request to keep a pet – they can no longer apply blanket pet prohibitions. Grounds for refusal can be found on the REIQ Website.
• Conditions for keeping a pet at a property must comply with prescribed requirements

There are many benefits to hiring a property manager. A good property manager can not only take the hassle out of owning an investment property but also maximise your return on investment. They are also:

• up-to-date and bound to act in compliance with the latest legislation
• proficient in selecting high-quality tenants due to our comprehensive screening process, which can mean longer, more stable tenancies and better-maintained properties
• skilled in ensuring your property remains vacant for shorter periods. With our expertise in determining rental rates combined with targeted advertising ensures your property is marketed in a way to attract the right people
• experts in rent collection and managing arrears

For more information, please read our blog post on Why landlords choose a property manager.

Looking to rent your property for the first time? Our experienced team at Errigal Property will be happy to walk you through the process. Simply give us a call or complete our enquiry form, and we’ll call you! We will provide a thorough, complimentary and obligation-free appraisal of your property and help guide you through every step.an guide you through the process.

Every agency is different and charges different fees. It is important to conduct a thorough review to ensure that you’re finding the right agency at the right price.

Errigal Property offers a flat management fee that is a percentage of the total rental income collected. This includes all standard property management services. There are some additional costs – advertising, a letting fee, any fees associated with legal proceedings etc, which are  all clearly laid out in your management agreement. We aim to be fully transparent with no hidden fees.

We have waived fees that other agencies list as standard – admin fees, a fee for your annual statement etc. These little fees can really add up over time and it’s important to factor them into your calculations.

As an landlord, when selecting a property manager, there are also a number of factors to consider – the property manager to property ratio, and the experience of the property manager in identifying issues, for example. An overworked property manager is not an effective one!

At Errigal Property, we keep each property manager’s portfolio small, so they have the time to give your property the attention it deserves.

Furthermore, with more than 60% of landlords believing they have been charged for unnecessary call-out fees, the value of Errigal Property’s unique ‘property management and maintenance, together in one place’ approach can ensure you’re saving money on this end also.

A standard general tenancy agreement does not allow for the rent to be increased during the fixed term timeframe. Rent increases can be applied when the lease is being renewed or when the property is vacant. Tenants must be given the required notice for a rent increase.

New legislation has also been introduced limiting rental increases on a property to once per twelve month period.

Minimum Housing Standards were introduced into Queensland this year. They apply to all new tenancies from 1 September 2023 and all tenancies from 1 September 2024.

These apply to all types of tenancies and have been put in place to ensure all Queensland rental properties are safe, secure and reasonably functional. The new standards complement existing legislation, which states that a property must be fit to live in, in good repair and compliant with health and safety laws.

It is essential that your property meet all of the standards by the due date as the consequences of non-compliance can be costly. We have prepared a presentation to help you understand your obligations as a landlord. You can also view the RTA Minimum Housing Standards fact sheet here.

The rental price of your property depends on a range of factors, including property features, location, demand, vacancy rates and general market conditions. We will conduct a thorough and comprehensive appraisal to determine the best price for your property and will continue to review for appropriate rent increases when the lease is due for renewal.

Essential maintenance includes a range of standard items that are necessary to protect the value and condition of your investment and comply with legislative requirements. These would include (but are not limited to) smoke alarm testing, cleaning of gutters/roofs, safety checks, termite protection etc.

Maintenance can be divided into two categories – urgent and non-urgent. Urgent repairs refer to damage to the property that makes it unsafe or a breakdown of an essential service or appliance. These could include burst water pipes, roof leaks, flooding or flood damage, gas leak, blocked or broken toilets, storm or fire damage, dangerous electrical faults etc. Non-urgent repairs refer to the damage or breakdown of any non-essential items.

If fixtures or chattels (such as dishwasher, air conditioners or solar hot water system) provided with the property were in working order at the commencement of the tenancy, the lessor/landlord must maintain the items unless they were disclosed as not functioning before the tenancy agreement was signed.

At Errigal Property, we provide a portal for our tenants to promptly advise of all urgent and non-urgent maintenance issues. Should an urgent matter arise overnight or over the weekend, tenants are provided with emergency trade numbers to have the matter attended to promptly.

In all other instances, our policy is for our inhouse maintenance team to review all reported issues and collect all of the necessary information. They will attempt to troubleshoot the issue over the phone with the tenant, and then assess to ensure the right trade is organised to be sent to the property. With over 60% of landlords believing they’ve been charged for unecessary call-out fees, this will ensure these incidences are minimised.

Your property manager will also endeavour to contact you to discuss any issues. They will then proceed on your instruction unless otherwise agreed in the management agreement.