How to Improve Your Chances of Landing a Rental Property in This Hellscape

We don’t need to remind you that the rental market is dire right now. Folks are facing ridiculous price hikes, and competition for properties is fierce. If you, like a lot of people, are feeling concerned about your ability to land your dream rental, we’ve consulted a few sources online and pulled together a few useful tips.

How to boost your chances when applying for a rental

As the ABC has recently reported, the current situation for renters is a nasty recipe of interest rate rises, low rates of property vacancy and limited access to affordable housing. The cocktail we are left with is one that leaves renters with few options and rising costs — and if in the chance you do find a home you would like to rent, there will be a neverending queue of others thinking the exact same.

First National Real Estate principal Rob Rollington spoke with the ABC about the best ways to improve your rental applications and increase your chances of landing that dream (rental) home, sharing that there are two key things to keep in mind.

• Be prepared with your paperwork: “We would estimate 50 per cent of rental applications are not filled out completely,” he said, adding that incomplete applications tend to get thrown to the bottom of the pile. Make sure you have ID, pay slips and any other details on hand. A rental ledger detailing past tenant experiences will also be of use.
• Introduce yourself, properly: Here, Rollington shared that first impressions really do make a difference – especially in a crowded room. Take a few moments to chat with the leasing agent, or add a few sentences about yourself to your application, he suggested.

Moving over to RealEstate.com.au, another important thing to keep in mind is credible references. Using past landlords and/or an employer as character references will be much more impactful than calling on your bestie.

In addition to that, the property website highlighted the value of arriving to inspections on time. It may seem simple, but it gives a good impression and it also means you will be one of the first to interact with the leasing agent – always a good move.

Another tip we really liked comes from the team at the Sydney Morning Herald. Taking to TikTok, the outlet shared that you should always go to the first scheduled inspection for a rental property. Or, you could always organise a private inspection before the first inspection slot.

There is a chance that a tenant will be found during the first inspection, which means later appointment slots may be cancelled. First in and all that…

This also applies to getting your application in. The SMH shared that it’s usually “a race” to get rental applications in first. Just make sure you don’t rush the process and that you complete the application properly – which brings us back to point one.

Finally, think about timing (if you can). For those of you who have the luxury of deciding when you can start applying for new rental properties, consider when the quieter months of the year might be. According to an article from Domain, January is historically a quieter month due to people being on holiday. It’s something to consider, that’s for sure.

If you have any tips on how to nail a rental application, share your tips in the comments section below. We’d love to hear your thoughts.