Australia Student Accommodation

Accommodation

One of the biggest challenges you will face now you have entered Australia is finding the right accommodation for you. Due to the shortage of affordable housing in Australia, it is extremely important that you allow for the cost of high cost of housing into your budget before you arrive in Australia and have access to sufficient funds to cover the cost of possible rent increases.

Your campus may provide students with alternate housing options, either on or off campus.

When you apply for a rental property you will be required to provide a reference from a previous person you have rented a property from before. This reference will show your real estate agent that you are a good tenant. You will also need evidence that you can afford to pay your accommodation, such as a bank account statement.


Types of accommodation

There are many different types of accommodation, such as a home stay, hostel, boarding school and campus accommodation. Your educational institution can provide you with information on some accommodation options.  

Most accommodation available does not include basic items, such as furniture, bedding, electrical items or kitchen utensils. Cheap household items can be purchased at second-hand retail outlets, or advertised for private sale in newspapers or notice boards, or even garage sales can be found in local suburbs, usually on the weekends.
Here is what to expect from the various different types of accommodation.


Home stays (approximately $110 to $270 per week)

Home stay is when you share accommodation with an Australian family in their home. The rental cost can vary greatly, depending on different factors, such as if either single or shared rooms are available. Some meals are usually included. Also some educational institutions maintain a register, and some will even advertise the reputable families prepared to board international students throughout the academic year.

You may want to discuss with your host, such issues as when to pay your rent and bills, general house rules, and how long should I give notice when I decide to move out?


Hostels (approximately $80 to $135 per week)

Hostels are usually run by organizations such as the Youth Hostels Australia and the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). Hostels are usually the short-term accommodation stay option. Students share both the kitchen, bathroom and toilet facilities.


Boarding schools (approximately $8,000 to $11,000 per year)

Most private secondary schools provide accommodation, meals, and laundry service for their students, called boarding. Boarding fees are not included when you pay your tuition fees. The secondary students stay in a dormitory with other students of the same sex, and is supervised by school officials.


Campus accommodation (approximately $100 to $250 per week)

Many educational institutions offer accommodation on or near the campus, such as apartments, residential colleges and halls of residence. The cost of rent can vary greatly.

Residential colleges provide facilities such as meals, libraries, tutoring, computers and internet. Residential colleges may be slightly more expensive than the other types of accommodation.

Halls of residence are the cheaper alternative to residential colleges, and are located on or near the campus grounds. Meals and cleaning services are included in the boarding fees. If you are interested in this type of accommodation, contact your institution and apply for accommodation when you apply for your course. These rooms available are in high demand, and you will not be guaranteed a room by simply being accepted to study at an educational institution.


Renting accommodation and tenancy agreement

Shared accommodation (approximately $150 to $160 per week) Rental accommodation (approximately $200+ per week)
Due to the shortage of rental properties across Australia, the cost of accommodation is slowly rising and competition for rental properties is getting much harder and harder to find.

Do your research if you plan to rent any type of accommodation, and make sure you are aware of your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. You can get information on potential properties from your education institution, real estate agents, notice boards, newspapers, internet and other students. For information on your rights and obligations contact the Residential Tenancy Tribunal.


Inspecting a property

Once you find suitable property advertised as available for rent, you will need to find out the time and date of the open inspection. The real estate agent will know when this is, or it will be on the website you found the property handling the tenancy agreement. Renting a property without a prior examination is not suggested.

Arrive at the inspection neat and tidy, and don’t be afraid to ask any type of questions about the property. It is suggested that you bring your references from previous owners of properties that you have previously rented. You will need evidence that you have enough money to pay rent.

When inspecting a property, you must consider if the property is large enough for your needs? If it is close enough to public transport? Is the amount of rent being asked too much? Also check for physical damage to the property, such as cracks in the walls, broken tiles, and water damage, all which may need attention in the near future.


Your tenancy agreement

If you are successful in applying to rent a property, you will need to sign a tenancy agreement. The terms within this agreement vary from state to state. These terms may include the payment of rent and your bond, the condition of your property, maintenance and access, inspections, changes to the cost of the tenancy and ending the tenancy agreement.


Bond

The bond is a security payment that is paid to the real estate agent after signing the tenancy agreement. Usually it is about the amount of four to six weeks rent. This money will be returned to you when the tenancy agreement expires, if the property is in good condition. Any repairs which need to be done to the property will be taken out of the bond money.


Rent

Rent is the amount of money paid, usually weekly or fortnightly, and must be paid in advance. If you fail to pay your rent, you may be evicted form the property, and your bond money will be given to the property owner to cover the expenses owed. Payments can be made to the real estate agent, either by cash, cheque, or you can even organize automatic payment from your bank account.


Period of tenancy

There are two types of tenancy agreements that you can choose from – fixed-term or periodic. Fixed-term tenancy agreements last for a fixed period of time, usually six or twelve months. Once this type of agreement is signed the amount of rent cannot be increased. Periodic types of tenancies do not have a definite end date. Tenants who have signed this type of agreement usually pay on a month to month basis. Rent could possibly increase with this type of agreement, over the duration of the tenancy.


Rent increases

With a fixed-term policy, the rent cannot be increased over the period of the contract. Periodic rent can be increased from each payment made. If you have any issues or questions about the laws involved with your tenancy agreement you can get in contact with Residency Tenancy Tribunal.


Condition report

When the tenancy agreement is finalized, they will give you your copy of the tenancy agreement, the keys to the property, and also a condition report. This condition report is documentation of the condition of the property at the time the tenancy agreement is signed. The report will list the condition of all the items and fixtures of the property. If you notice any damage to the property that you did not do and is not noted in the report at the time the tenancy agreement is signed, you must report it to the real estate agent immediately. If not, and the tenancy agreement expires, you may be liable to fix the damage that you did not do. A good idea would be to take photos of any items added to the report, and forward this photo to your real estate agent. Also keep a copy of the photo for yourself for future reference. It may be used later as evidence to support a court case if one arises.


Inspections

Your real estate agent has the right to inspect the property throughout your stay whenever required. The real estate agent will then report back to the property owner on the condition of the property. Tenants will be given two weeks notice before an inspection occurs. The real estate agent can evict the tenant on the state of the property, so the property must be kept clean and tidy at all times.


Maintenance
Any maintenance work made on the property must be maintained by the tenant.

This includes

• Plumbing
• Electrical faults
• Damage to walls, carpets, ceilings, windows, light fixtures, bathroom fittings etc.
• Roof leaks, tile damage
• Gardening and plant maintenance

Utilities

Utilities such as gas, electricity, water, and telephone are to be connected by the tenants. The tenant is held responsible for paying for their usage, and any other fees associated with maintaining the utilities.


End of tenancy

There are two ways that a tenancy can cease, either by the real estate agent or the tenant. If you are on a fixed-term tenancy agreement, you can decide to leave the premises at the end of the agreed contract period. If you wish to leave a tenancy agreement, you must give four weeks notice before you leave. If the owner decides to break the agreement and evict the tenant, they must do so six weeks in advance. The length of these notices varies from state to state, so it would be a good idea to check your tenancy agreement carefully.


Disputes

A good relationship between you and your real estate agent is important. If a problem arises between you and your real estate agent that you cannot fix, and you wish to take the matter further, you can contact your local Residential Tenancy Tribunal in your state. They can provide you with information on your rights and obligations as a tenant and property owner.

Alternatively you can contact these organizations in your state

ACT Residential Tenancies Tribunal - 02 6217 4259
Queensland Residential Tenancy Authority - 1300 366 311
Consumer Affairs Victoria - 1300 558 181
New South Wales Office of Fair Trading - 13 32 20
South Australian Office of Consumer and Business Affairs - 80 8204 9555
Western Australian Department of Consumer and Employment Protection - 1300 304 054
Tenants’ Union of Tasmania - 1300 652 641
Northern Territory Consumer Affairs - 1800 019 319