With new rental compliance requirements on the horizon, ensuring safety checks and Rental Minimum Standards (RMS) inspections run smoothly and to time matters more than ever.
A no-access outcome doesn't just cost time and money. It pushes compliance further out, right when staying ahead of it counts most.
Here's how a bit of preparation can keep your properties on track.
Common causes of no-access issues on rental properties
When our trades arrive at a property and can't complete a safety check or RMS assessment, everyone loses out. The renter is inconvenienced with multiple appointments, you're left managing the rebooking and any owner queries, and there's a fee on top of the lost time. None of that is a good outcome, and most of it is avoidable.
Here are the 3 most common reasons our trades can't complete a check on arrival:
The renter doesn't attend or isn't at home at the appointment time to give our trades access
Power isn't connected, meaning an electrical safety check can't proceed, and several areas of a rental minimum standards assessment become impossible to complete
Key areas such as switchboards or gas meters are inaccessible due to locked rooms, overgrown trees and shrubs, or large furniture blocking the way
What access is required for a rental safety check?
Most no-access issues come down to a handful of areas being blocked or obstructed. Before an appointment, it's worth checking a property has clear access to:
Manholes and ceiling access points
Smoke alarms
Hot water units (storage, furniture or vegetation needs to be cleared from around the unit)
Heating and cooling systems, including ducted units, vents, and indoor and outdoor air-conditioning units
Electrical switchboards and safety switches
Gas appliances and service points
How no-access affects CAV rental compliance and rental income
The impact differs depending on the type of check being conducted.
Rental safety checks: if access, power or other essential services aren't available, the electrical, gas and/or smoke alarm checks may not be able to go ahead. This can mean the property's compliance remains outstanding, requiring the PM to arrange another attendance. Delays here could trigger fines from CAV.
Rental Minimum Standards checks: the consequences can be particularly significant for RMS. If the assessment can't be completed, this can delay advertising the property, potentially resulting in lost rental income for the owner and reduced management fees for the agency.
For either safety checks or Rental Minimum Standards inspections, no-access fees may apply. Where the access issue is the renter's responsibility, that cost may be passed on to them.
If you're ever unsure whether a particular area needs to be accessible, our office can confirm ahead of the appointment.
How property managers can avoid no-access fees
A few ways to cut down on these:
Let renters know what to expect and what's expected of them. Here's a page of useful info along with downloadable sheets you can send them - www.taskforce.com.au/renter-resources
Confirm access the day before. When you book a job with Taskforce we send an SMS reminder to the renter ahead of their appointment
Check with owners that nothing has occurred to result in power or utilities being disconnected, particularly relevant between tenancies or after a vacancy
A missed appointment means rebooking, chasing renters again, fielding owner questions and the cost of a no-access fee, all for a check that still needs to happen. A bit of prep on the front end saves everyone the headache on the back end.
Talk to our team
If you have questions about how our services may support you or would like to speak to someone about the challenges you're facing to meet requirements across your portfolio, contact our team using the form below. We'd love to hear from you.
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