Before deciding to rent a property, there are a few 'Laws and Regulations' that you need to take into consideration. A 'Residential Tenancy Agreement' (‘lease’) must be drawn up and signed by all parties (i.e. all tenants occuping the premises, the landlord or the landlord's agent. The lease is a legal contract that both you and your landlord/agent must abide by. A lease MUST include information such as:

• Address of rental property
  
• Total weekly rent due & payable
  
• Amount of bond
  
• Length, Commencement & 'End' date of the tenancy
  
• Landlord/s name

Lease/Tenancy Agreements differ between states. Please ensure you have the documentation from your appropriate state's Fair Trading Dept. Tip: Never sign a blank form. If you do not understand something, contact the Fair Trading Department or local Tenancy Advice Bureau and ask for advice. It is very important that you know your responsibilities when signing a Tenancy Agreement and rent a property. When renting, little problems can turn into big problems, if you are not aware of who is responsible for taking care of the issues that may arise. As a tenant you are obliged to undertake the following:

• Ensure your rent is paid ON OR BEFORE the due date
  
• Never be in arrears or you can be asked to vacate as you will be in breach of the lease terms
  
• Keep the property clean
  
• Not cause damage to the premises
  
• Inform the agent 'asap' if any damage has occurred 
  
• NEVER undertake alterations, renovations or add any fixtures, etc
  
• Avoid causing a nuisance to the landlord's agent or neighbours
  
• Do not participate in anything illegal on the property
  
• Do not have pets on the property if they are not allowed in the agreement
  
• Only have the persons nominated on the lease living on the property (not more than this number)

The landlord is obliged to:

• Keep adequate receipts of your rental payments
  
• Keep the premises clean and in a good state of repair
  
• Ensure that the property is secure, making sure all doors have locks and all windows are secure
  
• Immediately provide the tenant with keys if the locks are changed
  
• Avoid disturbing the tenant unnecessarily (by law - only 4 inspections per year, i.e. once every 3 months) [Must be prior notification] 

Once you have signed a lease / tenancy agreement and paid the bond, you MUST be provided with an 'Entry Condition Report'. This report records the condition of the property when you take the tenancy. Check this report carefully. Immediatetly discuss any issues you may have with the landlord/agent. Tip: Photographs are a great way to record the condition of the property when you first move in. Keep these as proof, in case the landlord/agent withholds any part of the bond at the end of your tenancy.