International Accommodation Guide Mount St Mary (Strathfield) Campus Mackillop (North Sydney) Campus Signadou (Canberra) Campus

Contents
1. Where do you want to live? 2. Types of Accommodation 3. How to Find a Place 4. Information about Tenancy Agreements and Bonds 5. Useful Contact Numbers 6. Moving In 7. Important Things to Remember

Page Number
2 2 5 7

10 10 12

1. Where do you want to live?

Close to the Uni*: Suburbs close to North Sydney: Crows Nest, Kirribilli, Milsons Point, Chatswood, St Leonards, Waverton, Wollstonecraft. Suburbs close to Strathfield: Strathfield South, Burwood, Enfield, Five Dock, Ashfield. Suburbs close to Canberra: Watson, Downer, Bruce, Ainslie, Hackett, OConnor. 20-60 mins travel by train / bus / bike: Sydney Suburbs: Western (Burwood, Ashfield) and Southern (Hurstville, Rockdale, Kogarah) Suburbs. Canberra Suburbs: Most suburbs within Canberra are quite close (within 30 mins travel time to each other).

Guest Houses

96 Glebe Guest House 115 Surry Hills Guest House 55 Yurong Guest House Look at http://www.55yurongstreet.com/ for more information.

Strathfield Campus Hotel Formule 1 Enfield

$69+ for a twin share (double) room Look at www.accorhotels.com/accorhotels/fichehotel/gb/for/2691/fiche_hotel.shtml for more information.

Burwood Bed and Breakfast From $35 per night in a dorm room (shared bathroom) From $70 per night in a single room (shared bathroom) From $90 per night in a single room (private bathroom) Look at www.sinclairs.com.au/burwoodbb/bb_location.php for more information. Canberra Campus Northbourne Lodge

From $80 per night for a single room (private bathroom) Look at www.northbournelodge.com.au for more information.

Canberra YHA (Youth Hostel) From $27 per night for a dorm room (10 share mixed) From $33 per night for a dorm room (4 share single sex dorms) From $65 per night for a double room Look at www.yha.com.au/hostels/details.cfm?hostelid=240 for more information. Other alternatives for cheaper temporary accommodation are back packers, youth hostels or bed and breakfast type accommodation and many of these can be found by searching the internet. Some of this accommodation may be suitable for longer term stays over a semester and you should discuss the price for a longer stay as it may be discounted.

Homestay Accommodation
Homestay accommodation is when a local family provides accommodation in their home. You will have a bedroom with linen provided, a place to study, and access to a bathroom, kitchen and other facilities in the home. The cost in Sydney is $250 AUD per week and takes around 2 weeks to organize. Includes: Two meals on weekdays (Breakfast and Dinner) Three meals on weekends (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) Basic furniture 40-60 minutes transport time away from the Uni Minimum stay is 4 weeks and maximum stay up to 1 year. To book a homestay a Placement Fee of $220 applies. Please contact International Student Services at accommodation@acuiss.com for an application form. Contact: Atsuko Pengelly Address: Level 6, 23 Berry St North Sydney Phone: 02 9955 9672

Rental Accommodation
Types of Rented Accommodation include: 3

- Apartments, Units and Flats

These three terms are used to describe similar types of accommodation. Apartments etc, usually have 1-3 bedrooms, with a separate kitchen, living area and bathroom. Sometimes they include a laundry, or you may have to share a laundry. They might be in a security building or have a garage or storage room. An apartment etc. could cost from $200-$400 for a one bedroom place (depending on the area etc).

- Studio Apartments
This is a suitable, and rather cheap option if you want to live alone. A Studio generally has one combined bedroom/living room with a small kitchen (kitchenette) and bathroom. Sometimes the bathroom is shared. A Studio could cost $200-$300 or more per week (depending on area etc). Another option similar to a Studio is a garden/granny/bachelor flat which is normally a small dwelling in the back yard of someones house.

- Houses, Terraces and Townhouses

These are usually freestanding, self-contained properties. In some of the older suburbs, terrace houses (sharing common walls with neighbours on both sides), or semi detached houses (sharing a common wall with a neighbour on one side) are common. Most have 2, 3, or 4 bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, living area, laundry and often a garden or courtyard area. The cost for a House, Terrace or Townhouse could start at $400 per week for a two-bedroom terrace/house and move up in cost from there depending on the amount of bedrooms and the area etc.

Boarding Houses
A Boarding House is a property where the landlord or caretaker keeps control of the premises. They often may live within the property. But people living in Boarding Houses are not protected by the Residential Tenancies Act so you lose the protection this act gives you. You are a Lodger if cleaning services, linen or other household items are supplied and a Boarder if meals are supplied as well. The kitchen and bathroom are shared with the other occupants and there is normally no common living room. You can expect to pay between $100 and $200 per week for a single or shared room in a boarding house.

Share Accommodation
Share accommodation means you have your own bedroom, and share the rest of the house or flat with other tenants. You all have equal access to all the other facilities in the house the kitchen, bathroom, living area, laundry and garden. This type of accommodation is the most popular with students as it tends to be the cheapest option. If you are interested in an advertised room, give the contact person a telephone call and ask them questions about the place, the people living there, and all the costs involved. They will also want to know about you as well. If you are both still interested after your phone conversation, they will give you their address, and arrange a time for you to come and see the house and the room available and to meet the other people living there. It might be an interview style meeting or very casual depending on the other occupants of the house. A big advantage of moving into share accommodation is that you will not need to worry about furnishing an entire house, as the people you will be sharing with will also have some furniture and household utensils to contribute and share. In some cases all you will need is bedroom furniture, and sometimes even your bedroom will be furnished. When you share accommodation it is expected that you will contribute to a set share of the rent, electricity, gas and water usage bills, and your share of the telephone bill. Also you will probably need to pay a bond for the house (usually up to 4 weeks rent). If the house becomes damaged or is left dirty, your rental bond may not be returned to you in full when you leave (see page 8 for more information about Bonds). Every house has a slightly different approach when it comes to dividing up bills. Make sure you understand how bills are

divided up and how much you will be expected to pay, and it is generally a good idea to have this agreement in writing and signed by all parties. When you share a house you need to make sure you pay your share of the rent, and other bills on time. Also all people in the house are expected to help clean all the shared areas kitchen, bathroom, living area and garden (there may even be a roster to make sure this is done fairly). Many share households have a kitty system where each member contributes money on a regular basis for buying shared food/ and or other household items. Sometimes in share houses everyone cooks their own food and in others they prefer to take turns to cook for everyone. You could pay anything from $100 to $250 per week for a room in a shared house, depending on the size of the room, the condition and location of the property.

Shared Tenancy Agreements

Sometimes, in some shared accommodation situations, one tenant holds the tenancy agreement (or lease) and therefore is the only person who deals with the real estate agent or the owner of the property. This person therefore acts as your landlord. So, any bond money that they collect from you must be registered with the Rental Bond Board. In other cases all the tenants of the property may sign the lease. This is called co-tenancy, and means that every one who has signed the lease is equally responsible for looking after the property. In co-tenancy situations, ALL tenants who contribute the bond must ensure that their names are registered with the Rental Bond Board. If you move into an already-established share house you will may be asked to pay your share of the bond to the outgoing tenant, but make sure you request a Change of Shared Tenancy from your agent or landlord to ensure that you will be entitled to your refund at the end of your tenancy. The Change of Shared Tenancy form can be used to change the names of tenants registered with the Rental Bond Board provided that at least one of the original tenants remains in occupation. The form must also be signed by the agent or landlord to show that they approve of the change. For more information on leases or bonds see page 8. DO NOT PAY ANYONE BOND MONEY WITHOUT REGISTERING THE TRANSACTION WITH THE RENTAL BOND BOARD. IT IS THE ONLY WAY OF ENSURING FAIR TRADE IN RELATION TO YOUR BOND. If you have any questions, see useful contact numbers on Page 12.

3. How to find a place

Start with online resources:
First you will need to check out exactly where you would like to live; - Visit a website like www.whereis.com.au to look at a map of the uni and surrounding suburbs. - Check out the local transport around the area and how you will get to uni and how long it will take, look up www.131500.com.au (NSW website) or www.action.act.gov.au (ACT). - You can buy your own Sydney or Canberra Street Directory for between $20 and $35. A street directory is very useful, not only to find out where potential accommodation is located, but to find shopping centres, places of worship, entertainment venues, schools, sporting facilities and train stations. When you have thought about this (you may want to book some temporary accommodation to spend some time in Sydney/Canberra before you decide), the following websites are the most user-friendly and widely used websites listing both rental properties and share accommodation:

Website www.domain.com.au www.flatmatefinders.com.au

www.flatmates.com.au

http://au.easyroommate.com www.realestate.com.au

www.shareaccommodation.org

What you can do there? Search for rental properties and for shared living arrangements. Rather good site, free to use. A large share accommodation service. You can create a profile, which contains your preferences (used to match you) and a description (used to match and introduce you). Free to create a profile and to access the contact details of your first 30 matches (after that it is $15 for one month of unlimited matches). There is a placement fee of $33 is payable if you successfully find a home. Australian Flatmates Directory; Australias largest and well known share accommodation & private rental site. Has a specific search page for Uni students and can also help you to join up with other students to find a place. International website, available in German, Dutch, French, Italian and Spanish. Lists properties to rent and share. Has pictures available of most properties, and a map to show you where it is. Good site. Lists properties for rent, share accommodation and temporary accommodation in guesthouses and hostels. Both travelers and locals use this site.

Newspaper Advertisements
Check the To Let and Share Accommodation sections of the Real Estate section of the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. The Saturday paper has the best selection and the Wednesday edition is also good. Also check local papers like the The Mosman Daily or The Glebe.

ACU Accommodation Listings

You can check the ACU online Accommodation Listings at http://www.acu.edu.au/student_life/accommodation/disclaimer_for_students/. Otherwise check the notice boards around campus, they may have information about other students looking for people to live with.

Visiting Local Real Estate Agents

If you are seeking a rental property, you may find it useful to visit real estate agents directly, particularly if you know exactly which suburbs you would like to live in. You may either visit the agents website, or you can visit in person. All real estate agents will have print outs at reception listing properties available to rent. These are generally updated weekly. Feel free to take a copy and enquire about a property that interests you. Property inspections may be either by appointment only, or alternatively you may be asked to pick up the keys to the property from the real estates office. If this is the case you will be asked to leave your ID and a deposit of $50 or even $100 and make sure you ask for a receipt. Either method of inspection is standard practice. If you see a property that you like, the agent will give you an application form to submit to the property owner for their assessment. If you are seriously interested in the property and you your application to be considered ahead of others, you can request to pay a reservation fee or deposit, again be sure to get a receipt. The deposit fee cannot be greater than one weeks rent and will be returned if you are not accepted to rent the property, or will be viewed as rent already paid if you are accepted. If you decide you do not want to rent 6

the property after all, you forfeit the fee. If they have decided you will be an appropriate tenant a residential tenancy agreement (or lease) will be prepared and a date fixed for you to move into the property. When inspecting accommodation, ask yourself the following questions; - Is it a quiet or noisy location? - What is the security of the building like ie. locks/location/security screen doors? - What is the general condition of the premises? - Is the stove in working order? - Is the stove gas or electricity? - Is there a telephone connected? - Is there adequate hot water? - Does it meet your needs? - Will they negotiate the length of the lease? - If you are interested in renting the premises, tell the owner/agent as soon as you have decided. You cannot usually bargain over the rental cost unless the advertisement mentioned that the rent is negotiable.

Please take time and care when choosing a place to stay. Never sign anything unless you understand it fully.
Some Real Estate Agents that serve Australia wide are; Ray White Real Estate Raine & Horne Real Estate Richardson & Wrench L.J. Hooker First National Real Estate http://www.raywhite.com/ http://www.raineandhorne.com.au/ http://www.randw.com.au/ http://www.ljhooker.com.au/ http://www.firstnational.com.au/

These are just a few of the bigger agents, to look for more agents in your local area use a search engine like Yellow pages - www.yellowpages.com.au who will help you find a real estate agent in the area you might like to live in.

4. Important Information about Tenancy Agreements and Bonds

Residential Tenancy Agreements (Leases)
When renting a property, you should sign a Residential Tenancy Agreement (or lease). You will be required to pay half the cost of preparing a written agreement (up to $15). There are two types of agreements: 1. A Fixed Term Agreement (for a specific period of time) 2. Or a Continuing Agreement (no time limit)

MAKE SURE YOU READ THE AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS BEFORE SIGNING! For more information about the terms and conditions of each agreement, follow this link to the Renting Guide: http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Tenants_and_home_owners/Renting_a_home.html

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Tenants_and_home_owners/Renting_a_home/Renting_guide.ht ml Tips for problem free Renting: http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Tenants_and_home_owners/Renting_a_home/Tips_for_problem_ free_renting.html

Residential Premises Condition Report

A Residential Premises Condition Report should be completed by the Landlord or agent, before you move in, and two copies should be given to you. If you disagree with any part of the report, you should note it in the report, keep a copy as your record, and return the final copy to the landlord or agent, within seven days. It is important that you note any damage, or things that dont work, such as broken lights or power points, broken cupboard doors, damaged tiles, broken floor boards, or peeling paint. If you dont record them you might have to pay for their repair at the end of your lease. For furnished properties you should have an INVENTORY OF CONTENTS. This is a list of all the contents of the premises, including all furniture, furnishings, household utensils and appliances, it should also have notes on the conditions of each item. Both you and the landlord should keep a copy of the report.

Bonds
When renting a house you will also be required to pay a Rental Bond. Both you and the landlord or agent and complete a lodgment form for you as the tenant. The bond is paid to the landlord or agent, who then lodges the money with the RENTAL BOND BOARD, a government authority. Once the bond has been lodged, the Rental Bond Board sends you a receipt. It is against the law for a landlord or agent to take a bond from you unless he or she lodges it with the Rental Bond Board. If the bond has not been lodged, you will know because you will not receive a receipt for it. The bond acts as security for the landlord or owner against your failure to pay the rent or comply with any other conditions of the lease. If you do not owe any rent and leave the property in a clean, undamaged condition (or the condition it was in when you started the lease) you bond, plus interest will be returned to you in full. The maximum amount that a landlord or agent can ask as a rental bond is the equivalent of four weeks rent for unfurnished premises, and six weeks rent for furnished premises let for $250 per week or less. The bond is unlimited for furnished premises of more than $250 per week rent. If you are in share accommodation you may be asked to pay your bond directly to a current or outgoing tenant but you must make sure the Rental Bond Board is still notified via a change of shared tenancy form.

Paying Your Rent

You are normally required to pay your rent in advance, generally two to four weeks. Remember to always keep a receipt of your payment.

Terminating Your Lease

When you leave the property you have been renting, you MUST give notice to the landlord or agent IN WRITING (keeping a dated copy of the letter for yourself). The amount of notice you will need to give can depend upon the type of Residential Tenancy Agreement you have. If you have: A Continuing Agreement you will need to give at least twenty-one days notice. 8

A Fixed Term Agreement and are nearing the end of the term of your lease you have to give notice at least fourteen days before your lease is due to end. A Fixed Term Agreement and are Breaking you Lease (giving notice to vacate before the end of the fixed term) you must give at least fourteen days notice, plus you will have to pay rent for the property for a reasonable period of time (possibly four to six weeks, or more), until the landlord finds a suitable new tenant. Also you will have to pay reasonable costs of advertising the property to rent. You can also find replacement tenants to rent the property provided the landlord agrees. The reason there are so many costs involved to you if you break your lease is that you are breaking a legal agreement, and so are liable to cover the costs involved for your landlord in finding new tenants.

When your agreement to lease is finished the landlord or agent will complete the Claim For Refund of Bond Form. If they do not want to claim any part of your bond, or if you agree with any claims they do make, both you and your landlord or agent should sign and date the form, and lodge it with the Rental Bond Board.

Living in a Leased Property

Cleaning Obligations One of the most important obligations of the tenant in a Residential Tenancies Agreement is keeping the premises clean and tidy. Sticking Things to the Walls Most agents and owners are particularly concerned about damage to paintwork or wallpaper. As a result, they may restrict or even prohibit the use of blue-tak, sticky backed hooks, nails or screws to hang posters, pictures or paintings. Do not use any of these things to hang any item until you have asked the owner or agent whether it is alright to do so. Garbage Collection You can find out from your neighbors or local council (listed in the front of the White Pages Telephone Directory) which day of the week you will need to put your rubbish bin out. If you live in a small block of flats, there may be a shared bin which all tenants use. You will need to speak to the other tenants to find out the routine for putting the bin out for collection. Always put the bin out the night before as the garbage collectors often come early in the morning. Most councils also run a recycling service on a fortnightly basis (every second week). Again you should check with your neighbors or local council to find out the procedure and dates on which this service will run. Inspections The agent or owner will inspect your rental premises regularly. They must give you 7-14 days notice and arrange a time that is convenient for you. An inspection can take place once every 28 days. Here are a checklist of things you need to do before an inspection: Care of Fixtures Kitchen Sink, Oven, Stove, Benches If they are greasy, you will need to use a cleaning agent suitable for all purposes and available in any supermarket, and wipe surfaces over carefully. It is best to do this once a week because oven grease is very difficult to remove once it has built up. Dont forget to wipe over any filters in oven hoods, or exhaust fans as well. Most landlords/agents are very particular with oil and grease, so pay particular attention to it when cleaning. Bathroom Toilet, Bathtub, Washbasin, Shower The shower, bath and basin will need to be scrubbed regularly to remove soap residue and prevent mould. You will need to use a scrubbing brush and cleaning agent. Wiping dry each time will reduce cleaning time. Turn on the exhaust fan each time you use the bathroom to reduce mould growth. If the weather is good, open the bathroom window when you are in the shower, but shut it before you leave the house. Students in general have a bad reputation for not cleaning toilets! Wear rubber gloves and use a long toilet brush and cleaning agent or disinfectant to clean the toilet. Walls 9

You need to try and clean obvious dirty marks and grease off the walls. Hot soapy water usually does the trick. Be careful when using cleaning agents as they may remove the paint or leave a stain. Carpets/ Floors You should vacuum carpets once a fortnight at least. Clean any spills immediately with soapy water or carpet stain removing powder. Floors need to be mopped and swept regularly too. Most leases require you to have the carpets steam cleaned before you leave. Windows/Mirrors Use a clean cloth and window cleaner to clean mirror and windows. Windows need to be cleaned inside and out. If the windows are dirty outside, you may want to hose them down before using a window cleaning fluid and wiping them over with a clean cloth. Using crumpled newspaper/ recycled paper to wipe glass/mirrors wont leave streaks on them as cloths will. Inspection Guidelines Before an inspection, you need to clean the house thoroughly. In addition to the things described above, you will need to: - Wash the dishes and put them away. - Tidy the bedrooms and make the beds. - Put the garbage outside. - Put the dirty clothes in a basket or bag. Dont leave them on the floor. - Stack books neatly. - Tidy the garden and ensure the lawns are mowed. These steps show the owner/agent that you are caring for their property, keeping the premises clean and tidy and that you are a responsible tenant.

5. Useful Contact Numbers

NSW
Tenants Union Hotline Phone: 9251 6590 Website: www.tenants.org.au The Tenants Union of NSW has an excellent website full of useful information about tenants rights. It includes on-line access to the publications the Tenants Rights Manual, as well as the very handy and accurate Tenants Factsheets, which cover everything from Leases and Bonds, to your status in share housing, how to get repairs done, give notice or access the Residential Tenancies Tribunal. NSW Department of Fair Trading Tenancy Information: 133220 Rental Bonds: 133220 Phone: 13 14 50 (for interpreting service) Website: www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au

ACT
ACT Office of Fair Trading Phone: 6207 0400 Website: www.fairtrading.act.gov.au Tenants Advice ACT Phone: 02 6247 2011 Website: www.tenantsact.org.au Commonwealth Ombudsman Phone: 1300 362 072 Website: www.comb.gov.au Rent Australia Website: www.rentaustralia.com.au Has some good information about renting in all states, including legislation and fact sheets, worth a look.

6. Moving In
What is your budget?
Your budget will affect where you will be able to live and what style of accommodation you can afford. See Preparing a Budget in the pre-departure guide.
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Where can I find furniture and appliances?

Now you have somewhere to live you will need to get some things make your place a home. There are a few different options for you when looking for cheap furniture and appliances;
Superstores - eg Ikea, Fantastic Furniture, The Good Guys. The Moore Park Supercentre (Sydney), has a few of these shops and there is a bus that runs from central station directly to Moore Park (near Centennial Park) and then usually for a small cost you can get your furniture delivered. For smaller items stores like Target, Big W and Kmart are in most Shopping Centres and are useful for buying linen and smaller appliances like kettles, rice cookers and toasters etc. Charity Shops eg St Vincent De Paul and Salvation Army stores for second hand items. The Trading Post Newspaper Trading Post newspaper and website comes out every Thursday for private sellers of all types of items including furniture. Website: www.tradingpost.com.au . You may also want to look into renting furniture and household goods, try the Yellow Pages index under Hire- Household Appliances and Furniture. Website: www.yellowpages.com.au.

It is worthwhile to visiting a number of different shops before you choose one. You will find that the price and quality of the items will vary quite substantially between different retail services. One advantage of renting is that your do not need to worry if the appliances need to be repaired. The rental companies will repair at no extra cost and may even supply you with a replacement while yours is being repaired. While it is expensive initially to set up your home with furniture, remember that when you leave it is possible for you to sell them to other students or to second hand shops/disposals or even to advertise them in the local newspaper.

Connecting Services
When you move into a rental property, it is your responsibility to connect the telephone, electricity and gas (if available). You can keep these accounts when you move, but you will need to contact each provider to change your address. Contact the following providers to set up an account:
Telephone (approx $50 connection fee) there are a few telephone companies to look at the main ones being: Telstra - 13 22 00 Optus 1300 300 843 AAPT 13 88 You may find that it might be cheaper to group your mobile phone, internet and home phone into one group, or it may be easier to just have a mobile phone. So it is worth contacting a few providers to find out costs before you commit to any plans. Electricity (approx $200 security deposit); for general information about your electricity supply, or to get the electricity reconnected or to have the account transferred to your for billing purposes, you should telephone Energy Australia 13 15 35 or www.energyaustralia.com.au. Gas (approx $25 establishment fee) ; to organise to have the gas reconnected in your name, telephone the Australian Gas Company (AGL) 131 245 or www.agl.com.au. Water; the Landlord is responsible for paying the service charges to Sydney Water. The tenant may be asked to pay for water usage. Ask to see this water bill before paying this charge to ensure you are only paying for water usage, and not other charges that are the owners responsibility.

Paying Bills
There are a few different ways that you can pay your bills in Australia, cheque with the service provider or read you bill to check which payment options they accept. Some of the options are; Any Australia Post Office; if you want to pay by savings card or with cash this is a good option, but check with the provider as some companies charge a fee for paying with Australia Post. BPAY where by you use your bank accounts telephone or internet banking to pay bills using a customer reference number and company billing number. Ask your bank for more details, but generally this is a safe and easy way to pay your bills. Credit Card If you have one it can be an easy way to pay bills, see the details on the bill on the ways you can pay with credit card, mainly by phone or internet. Direct Debit You can set up a direct debit from your bank account so the money is debited every month, but the money needs to be in the account otherwise fees occur. Cheque You generally have the option to pay by cheque by attaching your cheque to a tear off slip from the bill and mailing it to the company. Make sure you are very careful in addressing the envelope you dont want your cheque to get lost in the mail.

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IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW AND TO REMEMBER ABOUT LEASING

To protect you, ALL agreements made with landlords and agents should be in writing. You must always keep a copy of ALL written correspondence with your landlord or agent. But, if you make a verbal agreement with your landlord you still have rights and responsibilities. Before you sign ANY agreement ensure you read very carefully through the contract. Make sure you keep all important documents like; rent payment receipts, the copy of your lease, your bond receipts, condition report, and the inventory of contents, in a safe place in case you need them in the future. Remember you can always ask for help either from the International Student Adviser or through the government information services if you have questions or problems.

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