Securing a Rental Lease upon Moving to Australia

lj-mel

Hello. This has been in my head for some time now, esp in anticipating (hopefully) our visa grant. How did you manage to secure a rental lease -- given no local (AU) job yet and walang kakilala na makikitirhan? Can you share tips/strategies on how you went about it esp to those who arrived in AU as a family? We are a family of 4 at may primary school age na.

Nag airbnb ba kayo for the first say two months then secured a reference letter from the owner or landlord? Tapos need ba na AU job ang employment or basta may proof of income lang? Pwede bang capacity to pay proof is yung laman lang ng bank account?

Or meron ba na ang setup is nauna muna yung isa then sumunod yung asawa at anak once nakasecure ng local job kaya nakasecure na rin ng leased unit para ready na pagkamove in ng the rest of the party?

Thank you.

JennyInAU23

Hello! Based on our experience as migrants, possible naman makakuha ng rental kahit wala pang AU job, although mas challenging siya.

Usually, Airbnb or short-term accommodation muna for a few weeks while attending inspections and applying. You can submit bank statements, proof of savings, overseas employment and payslips, visa grant, and previous landlord references. Helpful ang savings, but mas strong ang application if may proof of regular income and good rental history.

Some families arrive together, while others prefer na mauna muna ang isa para makahanap ng job and rental bago sumunod ang family. Both can work—it really depends on your budget and situation.

Prepare all your documents before flying, apply agad after inspections, and be flexible with the suburb. Since may school-age child kayo, check din the school catchment before signing.

Good luck!

lj-mel

JennyInAU23 hi @JennyInAU23 , thanks for the insight! Will keep all those in mind. Maitanong ko lang, keri kaya as one of the referees yung landlord sa pinas? Haha kokontak kaya sila ng overseas or need nila AU-based rent dapat?

Sana kung di pa mapalad sa local AU job is makatulong yung savings. Nasa isip ko na na maglagak dun ng at least 12 months worth ng budget for rent.

Thanks sa pagpapaalala re catchment - yun nga eh. Sana makaland kami ng ok na suburb with a good state school. I think gnerally naman ok na ok schools nila dun, safety and reputation na lang siguro ng area ang concern ko.

kaaru

Hello. If pasok sa budget nyo, you may want to consider getting the service of relocation specialists. We had a good experience with Rental Search Australia.

lj-mel

kaaru hello! Nabasa ko nga experience ni nika1234 about that service and by the looks of it, mukha nga yang sulit kaysa mag at least a month's worth spend pa for airbnb or any same accom, tapos kami pa mag inspect and punta-pabalik ng suburbs + all the hassle. If you don't mind me asking, can you maybe share your experience with them? They are seriously in my shortlist of tasks to research on na.

JennyInAU23

Hi lj-mel ! Sorry, just to clarify my earlier reply—I should not have made it sound guaranteed. Pwede ninyong ilagay ang landlord ninyo sa Philippines as a previous rental reference, but whether the Australian agent will accept or contact an overseas referee will depend on their process. Sa case namin, tinanggap naman, although hindi kami sure kung talagang kinontak nila.

Helpful din to prepare an English reference letter, tenancy agreement, and proof of regular rental payments, if available.

Regarding the 12 months’ worth of rental budget, malaking help siya as proof of financial capacity, especially if wala pa kayong local AU job. You can show bank statements together with your overseas employment certificate, recent payslips, and other proof of income. However, it may not automatically guarantee approval because some landlords or agents may still prefer applicants with regular local income and will assess the overall application.

For the suburb and school, agree ako na generally okay naman ang public schools, but worth checking the school catchment, safety, transport, and accessibility to work before signing a lease. Sometimes, being flexible with nearby suburbs can also give you more rental options.

Shadow1117

Hello JennyInAU23 , nasa process din kami ngayon ng paghahanap ng rental dito sa Sydney. So far, yung na-submit namin na applications ay reject. Very challenging talaga sya since wala pa din kami job at less than a month pa lang kami dito. 😥 May I ask kung inattach nyo ba sa applications nyo yung recent payslips from previous employment outside AU? And if may tips/ recommendations pa po kayo sa pag apply? In terms of finances, we have more than 6 months worth of living expenses. Dalawa lang po kami, both professionals in the Philippines. Thanks in advanced! 🙏