A personal reference is a letter or statement that vouches for a rental applicant to meet commitments involved in renting a property such as paying rent on time, taking care of property, and meeting obligations as set out in a Residential Tenancy Agreement.  The purpose of a reference is to provide the property manager or landlord with information so that they can decide the best applicant to look after their property.

The Private Rental Assistance Program is run by the Government of South Australia and provides financial assistance to eligible customers who either have difficulty meeting the upfront costs associated with renting privately or need help to maintain their home. 

A property condition report (or ingoing inspection report) is a document given to the tenant at the commencement of the tenancy that records the general state of repair and condition of the rental property on a room-by-room basis, including fittings and fixtures.

A property manager is engaged by the landlord to manage the day to day running of their property. They ensure both the tenant and the landlord are upholding their obligations as set out in Residential Tenancy Agreement (between the tenant and the landlord) and Management Agreement (between the landlord and the property manager). A property manager must work within the current legislation as stated in the Residential Tenancy Act of SA 1995.

A rental reference is a written declaration from previous landlord/s stating the rental history of a particular person from the landlord’s point of view.  This will normally include what they know about the person, whether rent was paid on time, and what to expect of the person as a tenant. The landlord uses this information to identify which applicant will maintain their property in line with the tenancy agreement.

Also known as a lease, a Residential Tenancy Agreement is normally in writing and signed by both the tenant and the property manager (or landlord).

The Landlord or Property Manager may carry out a periodic inspection of a rental property to ensure it is being maintained in a clean and tidy manner, there is no malicious damage, and the tenant is upholding their obligations as stated on the Residential Tenancy Agreement. 

A shared equity arrangement is when a third party (most likely the lender or the government) takes out a stake in your home at the time you buy it. This will can help to bring your overall loan (and loan repayments) down.

An Application Form lets the potential tenant provide key information about them to the property manager or landlord that shows the agent that they are the best candidate for the property, are able to pay the rent on time, and will look after the property as specified in the Residential Tenancy Agreement. It is used by the property manager to identify who they will recommend to the landlord to rent the property.

Conditional approval, or pre-approval, means the lender has assessed you and your suitability as a borrower and is happy to loan to you, subject to completing their verification process. This is conditional on the bank’s assessment that the property you select is suitable and verification of the information in your application. Full approval combines the bank’s assessment and verification of you and your property.