What you need to know before moving from one sharehouse to the next
So you’ve been living out of home for a while now. You’ve had all the parties, you’ve had all the standard housemate arguments, and you’ve had a brilliant time. But now your lease is probably up, and the law states that you need to get your shit together and figure out what the bloody hell you’re going to do. Luckily, there’s no need to fret. Keep calm and take a few of these tips on board.
Give yourself – and everyone else – time
It’s not fair on you, your housemates, your landlord or your real estate agent to be making last-minute decisions if you’re on the lease. If the whole house is upping and leaving, most real estate agents require a certain amount of notice before you can end your tenancy, so contractually, you can’t just up and leave. Some states have different legal requirements around ending a tenancy, so check your local tenancy rules.
If it’s just you leaving, it’s more about being considerate of your soon-to-be-ex-housemates. At the very least, you owe them the respect of giving them enough time to find a replacement should you decide to move on. Even better if you help them with the process.
If everyone chooses to move out, you’ll need to give the house the best damn clean of your life
Everyone knows that the best part of moving out of a sharehouse is getting that coveted bond back. For those who don’t know, the bond is usually the total of four weeks’ rent, which you have to pay in one go before you move into a property. Naturally, having to part with such a huge sum of cash in a single hit is probably the emotional equivalent to losing a limb, so the thought of getting it back is an enticing one. However, you’re not going to get it back if your house is in a state of chaos. You need to give it the most thorough clean of your life. I’m talking Cinderella level here – call on the woodland creatures if you have to. This is going to take you a while.
When you do get your bond back, do not touch it
Getting all that money back at once may tempt you to spend it on something ridiculously extravagant that you definitely do not need. You may even want to put it away towards travelling or whatever else you’re saving for. However, if you plan to move in somewhere else that isn’t back with your parents, then it’s wise to leave that money alone. Bond is going to follow you wherever you move, and it’s best not to put yourself through the same emotional turmoil you went through the first time you moved.
Before you re-sign a lease, figure out your plan for the next year
Sometimes real estate agents will give you a little freedom in how long you want to stay at a house. You can try and negotiate signing the lease for a three-month, six-month or annual period – whichever best accommodates your future plans. In my opinion, though, the best lease is a periodical one. It basically just rolls over every month, meaning there’s no huge commitment to stay anywhere for too long.
Be careful when re-signing the lease, however
Being on a periodical lease is hugely beneficial if you’re a top tenant. However, it doesn’t mean that you can treat the house with any less care or respect. If you act like a fool, you’re going to lose your bond, and the only difference between this time and last time is that your real estate or landlord can give you the boot at the end of any given month. Watch yourselves, fam.
Jackson Langford
Jackson is studying a Bachelor of Communication degree at the University of Newcastle and is the rightful heir to the throne.
Image: Martinak15, Flickr Creative Commons license