# Renting an apartment in Melbourne enquiry



## Anjalisham (May 15, 2012)

So here I am in Melbourne after 2 years of wait for the PR visa. Its been nearly 3 weeks since I have been here and so far the experience has been good! People are friendly and it is a lovely city! I have been staying with a friend and her family- cushioned and protect  but its now time to start looking for a place of my own.
I need some information with regards to renting an apartment here in Melbourne.
Can anyone guide me with the process and what kind of paper work is involved in renting an apartment? I am a single person looking to rent in the city. I am still in the process of looking for a job and went through my first job interview on Friday. I have signed up with an recruitment agency and they may pass some casual jobs. 
So i looked at realestate.au and saw some studios but since I'm unemployed at the moment would that be a problem to get a place to rent?
Any advise?


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## ozbound12 (Mar 23, 2012)

Anjalisham said:


> So here I am in Melbourne after 2 years of wait for the PR visa. Its been nearly 3 weeks since I have been here and so far the experience has been good! People are friendly and it is a lovely city! I have been staying with a friend and her family- cushioned and protect  but its now time to start looking for a place of my own.
> I need some information with regards to renting an apartment here in Melbourne.
> Can anyone guide me with the process and what kind of paper work is involved in renting an apartment? I am a single person looking to rent in the city. I am still in the process of looking for a job and went through my first job interview on Friday. I have signed up with an recruitment agency and they may pass some casual jobs.
> So i looked at realestate.au and saw some studios but since I'm unemployed at the moment would that be a problem to get a place to rent?
> Any advise?


If you don't have a job, you're going to have a very difficult time finding an apartment since you have no way of proving you can pay the rent. If you offered to pay several months upfront you might have a chance with some landlords although I suspect they'll want you to have a job anyway.

In any case, you'll need the standard 100 points of ID which you'll provide when you complete the rental application for whatever apartment you end up wanting. You will also be asked for previous landlord references. They will contact them.

If they accept your application, you'll need to provide 1 months rent and a bond, usually equivalent to 1.5 months rent.


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## stormgal (Sep 30, 2009)

ozbound12 said:


> If you don't have a job, you're going to have a very difficult time finding an apartment since you have no way of proving you can pay the rent. If you offered to pay several months upfront you might have a chance with some landlords although I suspect they'll want you to have a job anyway.
> 
> In any case, you'll need the standard 100 points of ID which you'll provide when you complete the rental application for whatever apartment you end up wanting. You will also be asked for previous landlord references. They will contact them.
> 
> If they accept your application, you'll need to provide 1 months rent and a bond, usually equivalent to 1.5 months rent.


Hi Ozbound -

I am very interested in this topic myself. 
What do you mean by 100 points of ID, and how were you able to get it? Does that mean that I have to get a letter from my landlord? (I rent in Manhattan) Obviously, I have no job in Australia but I have one here. How can anyone get a job from overseas without a place to live and a place to live without a job? I am also a single person. let me know what you did.


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## jre05 (Feb 16, 2013)

stormgal said:


> Hi Ozbound -
> 
> I am very interested in this topic myself.
> What do you mean by 100 points of ID, and how were you able to get it? Does that mean that I have to get a letter from my landlord? (I rent in Manhattan) Obviously, I have no job in Australia but I have one here. How can anyone get a job from overseas without a place to live and a place to live without a job? I am also a single person. let me know what you did.


Stormgal,

I googled out of curiosity and just got below wiki and also a proof how points are counted to 100 in another PDF document and how it is significant for many things in Australia even for opening a Bank account/Buying SIM or mobiles/DL and so on. These are calculated from the kind of ID proof that the person provides. Perhaps this is sort of thing what Ozbound is talking about. He can confirm it.

100 point check - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://www.eaussie.com.au/images/pdf/Aussie100PointForm.pdf

Best regards,
JR


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## stormgal (Sep 30, 2009)

I guess Ozbound probably used his passport and a driver's license (which I also have). So maybe that's how he got his place to live, I don't know...


thank you, jre05 by the way.


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## jre05 (Feb 16, 2013)

Anjalisham said:


> So here I am in Melbourne after 2 years of wait for the PR visa. Its been nearly 3 weeks since I have been here and so far the experience has been good! People are friendly and it is a lovely city! I have been staying with a friend and her family- cushioned and protect  but its now time to start looking for a place of my own.
> I need some information with regards to renting an apartment here in Melbourne.
> Can anyone guide me with the process and what kind of paper work is involved in renting an apartment? I am a single person looking to rent in the city. I am still in the process of looking for a job and went through my first job interview on Friday. I have signed up with an recruitment agency and they may pass some casual jobs.
> So i looked at realestate.au and saw some studios but since I'm unemployed at the moment would that be a problem to get a place to rent?
> Any advise?


Gumtree is the best to look for renting options on sharing basis (Perhaps single or double sharing in a decent room, and the good thing is, rent will mostly cover everything - utility bills, internet, living, washing and other miscellaneous). Food is the only extra). Good thing in this is, they do not require any document as you yourself will share with people advertising and build a friendly rapport. Here also you can find a single sharing with another person of your interest in 2BHK/3BHK/1BHK. Rents will be lower and they might ask you only around 2 weeks of deposit amount which they ll completely refund you while you move. Thus, you can go through the ADs and can email or ring them up and find out how much that interests you. You can fix an appointment that is convenient for both of you to meet/see the place/house. This gumtree has n number of Ads daily flowing in. 

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-flatshare-houseshare/melbourne/c18294l3001317

Realestates is also a good website if you want to look for a separate 1 BHK or 2 BHK or 3 BHK for you and mostly, these renting options need atleast a 6 months reference renting bills from your earlier landlord and the telephonic reference from him/her to your new landlord that you pay the rent on time and they had no issue with you. Here, you want to make a contract of atleast 6 months to one year of your stay. As Ozbound said, you may want to produce 100 points ID. They will charge you minimum of 4 weeks rent as advance payment which they will refund you while you move subject to no maintenance loss for them. Here, the agent will show you the houses and the appointment or seeing time are 5-10 mins which is fixed in most cases. 

Best regards,
JR


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## p_designer (Jun 27, 2013)

How would someone who is a new migrant provide previous landlord's reference?


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## jre05 (Feb 16, 2013)

p_designer said:


> How would someone who is a new migrant provide previous landlord's reference?


Otherwise separate house will not be rented out to certain new migrants or visitors on business or visitor visas.

However, it doesn't limit the option for anyone to look for a house. There are still plenty of options to share with some people of interest and preferably a local citizen, and live sometime and then if a change is required in the future, can look for a separate new house with the reference through the existing landlord/people who one share with.

Best regards,
JR


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## p_designer (Jun 27, 2013)

jre05 said:


> Otherwise separate house will not be rented out to certain new migrants or visitors on business or visitor visas.
> 
> However, it doesn't limit the option for anyone to look for a house. There are still plenty of options to share with some people of interest and preferably a local citizen, and live sometime and then if a change is required in the future, can look for a separate new house with the reference through the existing landlord/people who one share with.
> 
> ...


Thanks JR


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## ozbound12 (Mar 23, 2012)

stormgal said:


> I guess Ozbound probably used his passport and a driver's license (which I also have). So maybe that's how he got his place to live, I don't know...
> 
> thank you, jre05 by the way.


Yes, I used a passport and drivers licence. I was working from home at the time and my partner was working here, so that's how we qualified for the apartment. The management company was adamant that we have steady jobs to qualify.

They also seem to only like local landlord references, which I found strange. We had stayed in a sublet for 3 months before moving into our current place so used them as a local reference which seemed ok.

Might be different in outer suburban areas or other cities where there isn't as much of a demand for housing. By the way, you need to budget for a fridge since they are almost never included - annoying!


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## catmonkey (Nov 9, 2011)

We had no problem securing a 1 bed rental within 2 weeks of arriving and we pick up the keys next week. We provided references from our estate agent back home as we own our house and rent it out, a personal reference from my ex boss, bank statement showing we have funds and all mortgage statements showing we had paid . For ID we provided passport and driving. Liscence. 

The rental market is slow at the minute. I see properties that have been on since we arrived 3 weeks ago that are available and nobody has took. 

Good luck


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## ozbound12 (Mar 23, 2012)

catmonkey said:


> We had no problem securing a 1 bed rental within 2 weeks of arriving and we pick up the keys next week. We provided references from our estate agent back home as we own our house and rent it out, a personal reference from my ex boss, bank statement showing we have funds and all mortgage statements showing we had paid . For ID we provided passport and driving. Liscence.
> 
> The rental market is slow at the minute. I see properties that have been on since we arrived 3 weeks ago that are available and nobody has took.
> 
> Good luck


I think it depends on where the apartment is and what time of year it happens to be. Some management companies tend to be more strict about the employment requirement (such as mine) but I'm also living in a new apartment block in the inner city so maybe that's why.

But great that you were able to find a place without too much trouble.


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## catmonkey (Nov 9, 2011)

I suppose so , its in Toorak, but I was looking around south yarra, toorak and we were the only ones at each viewing . There both really good areas and not far from the city too .


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## ozbound12 (Mar 23, 2012)

catmonkey said:


> I suppose so , its in Toorak, but I was looking around south yarra, toorak and we were the only ones at each viewing . There both really good areas and not far from the city too .


Yeah, it wasn't like that last year but it was also December so there were more students looking for places at that time and it was summer. People don't move as much during winter. Anyway, good to know.


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## Anjalisham (May 15, 2012)

Thanks everyone that's been really helpful


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## Beee (Jun 20, 2011)

Can anyone please suggest any good family-oriented suburbs in Melbourne? So that we can look up for places to rent there. We are a family of 4 . My BH, me n our 2 kids (a baby n a toddler).
Thanks!


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## ozbound12 (Mar 23, 2012)

Beee said:


> Can anyone please suggest any good family-oriented suburbs in Melbourne? So that we can look up for places to rent there. We are a family of 4 . My BH, me n our 2 kids (a baby n a toddler).
> Thanks!


Lots. What is your budget? How far from the CBD do you want to be? Will you have a car or will you be relying on public transport? You'll need to be more specific about what you're looking for.


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## Beee (Jun 20, 2011)

ozbound12 said:


> Lots. What is your budget? How far from the CBD do you want to be? Will you have a car or will you be relying on public transport? You'll need to be more specific about what you're looking for.


Thanks for replying!
Let me explain tge scenario n then u'll be in a better position to advise..
We have no idea about budget but safety is our priority. We need a seperate and small place. Would prefer not to share. Kids wont be going to school but my Spouse would need to


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## Beee (Jun 20, 2011)

Beee said:


> Thanks for replying!
> Let me explain tge scenario n then u'll be in a better position to advise..
> We have no idea about budget but safety is our priority. We need a seperate and small place. Would prefer not to share. Kids wont be going to school but my Spouse would need to


Sorry for the incomplete text. Continued:
My husband would have to go around so not too far from the city. In the first 2 months we will use public transport n then will get a car.
We can manage in a 1 bed area too. 
About budget, well I have no idea of current rent rates but under 400/week would be great! 
If u could honestly share ur opinion whether this would be possible or not!


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## Beee (Jun 20, 2011)

Beee said:


> Thanks for replying!
> Let me explain tge scenario n then u'll be in a better position to advise..
> We have no idea about budget but safety is our priority. We need a seperate and small place. Would prefer not to share. Kids wont be going to school but my Spouse would need to


i posted this query in another thread too but couldnt get a reply. Can u help?

*We are a family of 4 planning to shift to Melbourne in Feb 2014.
I am a housewife n my spouse is a Civil engineer n both our kids r toddlers so they won't be going to school.
We are looking for a safe, friendly locality to rent a small place in. Some place at a reasonable distance from the city. Not too close but not too far either. Would prefer family-friendly community of course but anything that's just safe n not creepy. Can anyone please help with the following queries:
1. Will we be able to find a separate 1 bed or 2 bed small house?
2. Which areas would u suggest?
3. What would the average rent be?

Would really appreciate any help!*


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## ozbound12 (Mar 23, 2012)

Beee said:


> Sorry for the incomplete text. Continued:
> My husband would have to go around so not too far from the city. In the first 2 months we will use public transport n then will get a car.
> We can manage in a 1 bed area too.
> About budget, well I have no idea of current rent rates but under 400/week would be great!
> If u could honestly share ur opinion whether this would be possible or not!


Melbourne is pretty safe regardless of where you are, with some small exceptions. Any of the popular inner city suburbs (South Yarra, Prahran, Fitzroy, South Melbourne, St Kilda) would be fine, and all are quite safe and have good public transport options - but will probably be out of your budget for a 2 bedroom. (A 1 bedroom would be do-able but definitely too small for a family of 4.)

On the north side, areas like Preston, Thornbury and Coburg would be good options, while on the south, Malvern, Caulfield and Carnegie. I don't really know the west side very well so I can't really speak to that.

Your best bet is to have a look on realestate.com.au and domain.com.au to see what you can get for your money. And to figure out which suburbs you should target, I'd recommend looking at this site: Our Liveable City - Interactive Map

It lets you select criteria that are important to you (low crime, close to CBD, etc) and ranks the top suburbs that meet those criteria.


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## Beee (Jun 20, 2011)

ozbound12 said:


> Melbourne is pretty safe regardless of where you are, with some small exceptions. Any of the popular inner city suburbs (South Yarra, Prahran, Fitzroy, South Melbourne, St Kilda) would be fine, and all are quite safe and have good public transport options - but will probably be out of your budget for a 2 bedroom. (A 1 bedroom would be do-able but definitely too small for a family of 4.)
> 
> On the north side, areas like Preston, Thornbury and Coburg would be good options, while on the south, Malvern, Caulfield and Carnegie. I don't really know the west side very well so I can't really speak to that.
> 
> ...


I'll surely look them up! Thank you for ur help!


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