Landlord Advice

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On 9th April 2020 the South Australian Government passed the COVID19 Emergency Response Act. Section 8 highlights the changes that relate to tenancy laws during the pandemic.

We're here to help

We understand COVID-19 may be a worrying time for many Landlords. Toop&Toop is here to support you in any way we can. We have 35 years of experience and an amazing team of experts to draw on to help navigate you through this period.

We have launched a Landlord Advice Hotline for the South Australian community, where you can call anytime, with any questions about your rental property. You may be looking for confirmation on what is happening throughout this time, or just wish to keep informed. Please call: 0448 038 353

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Frequently asked questions

You can view the full Act here or visit legislation.sa.gov.au.

We have reviewed these changes and included some frequently asked questions (and other things we think you might want to know) so you are up to date with the very latest information.

A Property Manager's role is to monitor rental arrears daily and let you know if there are any concerns. They should be keeping you informed.

If you are concerned, we suggest you ask your Property Manager for a full report of financial transactions that are happening at your property. At Toop&Toop we have an app called ToopHome, which provides live, daily updates to you on rental payments, rather than waiting until the end of the month. This information is available to your property manager, so it is definitely worth asking if you are uncertain of your rental position.

We are finding that approximately 4-5% of tenants are facing financial hardship here in Adelaide. Other agencies in Sydney and Melbourne are reporting numbers as high as 10-15%, which is having a big impact to landlords with properties in these cities.

If a tenant advises they are cannot pay their rent, evidence they are suffering hardship is required.

Items their property manager can ask for to demonstrate hardship include: Employer Separation Certificate, Evidence they have applied for Job Seeker, Confirmation of Job Keeper eligibility, a letter from their Accountant if a business owner etc.

With the Job Keeper and Job Seeker payments coming through soon, we expect the number of tenants who are unable to pay their rent to decline. The relief payment is the same across the country, which is good news for Adelaide landlords.Our rents are much lower than other cities, so these payments will go a long way to helping tenants start paying their rent again.

We have been in touch with a number of landlord insurance providers, and from our discussions, this is based on the policy taken out. Many insurance companies have said they will cover loss of rent for the entire period, others have said for a certain number of weeks.

One of the major providers in the industry, Terri Scheer Insurance, has put together some FAQs which may be helpful at this time.

FAQ link: https://www.terrischeer.com.au/covid-19/

If you have any specific concerns or questions about your policy, we suggest giving your provider a call to ensure you are confident about what you are covered for over this time.

Absolutely, just in a different format. At Toop&Toop we have launched ToopVirtual Routine Inspections for our clients, making sure their homes are still being looked after over this time whilst ensuring the safety of the community and our team is maintained.

Scott Morrison announced in March that Open Homes are no longer able to be conducted, so many businesses have moved to other ways to show prospective tenants through rental properties.

We are completing inspections at properties on a one-on-one basis or via Virtual Tours through Facetime. We are finding many tenants are viewing the properties online, making a short list before making a time to come through the property. This has meant the marketing of your property is incredibly important over this time. Making sure your photographs are up to date, and the property description is accurate is essential!

Absolutely. We are finding that tenants are very motivated to find a property as soon as possible. Properties in the $400 per week price range and under are attracting strong interest from tenants at the moment.

The State Government along with the universities have created a relief package for international students, more information can be found here.

Simply, no rent increases from 30 March 2020 for six months, or until the COVID-19 pandemic is declared over.

If a rent increase was agreed prior to 30 March 2020, and it was due to take place in the next 6 months, it now cannot take effect until the emergency period is over.

Rent increases will reinstate automatically at the end of the six-month period or if the pandemic is declared over prior to that date

Essentially, nothing has changed with these new laws.

The Landlord and Property Manager have the flexibility to agree to works with the tenant in advance, if they wish. All works must be completed with the landlord’s consent.

Example: A Landlord could give permission to their Tenant to organise minor repairs and maintenance to the value of $100.

Following the introduction of the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act we believe it would be unlikely that any major changes would be coming however it is unclear. We are staying up to date and should any further changes be announced we will provide this information to the community as soon as possible.

We are here to help navigate you and your property through this time. We will continue to keep you updated but if you have any questions between now and then, please do not hesitate to contact Jane Looker our General Manager on 0448 078 236, or your Property Manager.