There are currently more rental properties on the market than there have been in many, many years and it’s quite understandable that many prospective tenants believe that they will easily be able to secure their preferred property once found, however, in many instances this is simply not the case.
“This is especially true in the lower to medium price ranges in sought-after areas which offer convenient proximity to good schools and amenities,” says Lorraine-Marie Dellbridge, Rentals Manager for Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs.
“In these areas, there is still a lot of competition for well-priced homes that tick all the right boxes and they tend to be snapped up quickly.”
So, what would give an applicant the edge when vying for a property that is attracting considerable attention?
According to Dellbridge, there are a number of things prospective tenants can do to nudge themselves to the top of the list and to avoid delays that could cost them their dream home:
- Ensure you are admin-ready ahead of time – You will need three month’s bank statements, a certified copy of your ID, FICA documents (proof of address) and references from previous landlords where possible.
- Request the application form prior to viewing - and have it completed and with your documents ready to hand in on the day if you like the property after viewing.
- Have the necessary funds ready – ensure that you have enough money available to pay the required deposit and, if applicable, the application fee. If there are two candidates of the same caliber, the one with his/her admin and funds at the ready will invariably get the property.
- Be mindful of your credit rating – If possible, do a prior check to ensure your credit score is clear. But also bear in mind that there are also other factors that can count against you, including having little or no credit because it’s difficult to determine your credit payment pattern and reliability.
Agents also usually assess the prospective tenant’s earnings as opposed to their monthly expenses because not everyone declares everything that they have to pay out on a monthly basis on their application form. These are the things we pick up in bank statements and credit records.
Bank statements will also show when someone has a high credit score but is actually living in overdraft, which makes them more of a risk. - Be on time – Make sure you arrive on time to view the property. Don’t breeze in 30 minutes late with a smile and a casual ‘sorry’. Besides being rude and annoying, the agent is bound to wonder if you are as cavalier about paying your rent on time.
- Understand that most agency leases are standard and law compliant - When you start wanting to make changes, it can make agencies and landlords nervous, especially when it comes to significant clauses like those pertaining to the Consumer Protection Act which enables a tenant to exercise their right to terminate the lease early.
- Understand that if there is more than one applicant – the landlord might choose the one that is being less of a hassle. If it’s complicated early on, a landlord may fear that a tenant is likely to become troublesome.
- Remember that, unless otherwise stipulated, you’re viewing the property to take it as it is – Barring items of repair that may make it unlivable such as roof leaks or broken toilet leaks, by submitting an application, you are applying for the home as you viewed it.
If you start demanding that the landlord install new fixtures such as new security measures and other upgrades, the landlord may be inclined to opt for a tenant who has fewer special requests, which means that if there are other applicants, you are likely to lose out. - Give your references a heads-up – The chances are that the agent will call your previous landlords and if they are not expecting to give a reference, they may well not answer a call from an unknown number or might assume it’s yet another unsolicited spam call and be very grumpy from the offset.
“Securing a property, especially when you are up against competition, is all about being pro-active and also reasonable.
“This does not mean that you should feel so desperate as to accept unacceptably vague promises to fix a broken door or leaking roof ‘sometime in the future’; rather that you remain cognizant of the fact that there are other suitable candidates out there and that nit-picking will only be counter-intuitive.”
