Rental/bond rules in WA

[~clover~]

I've rented in NSW for about 11 years, so I have no clue of the rules in WA. Can someone help with a few things?

My house is being taken over by another company (community housing, not real estate, so not sure if the rules are different) & there are a few things she's asked of me that aren't legal in NSW.

She's told me I'll need to pay a pet bond of $200, as I didn't pay one when I moved in. That doesn't exist in NSW. And she's told me if they decide to up the rent when they review in in 6 months, I'll have to top up the bond. They can not ask you to do this in NSW, & I would've said something, but I was at a loss for words trying to figure out how I was supposed to come up with all this money they're asking for.

I applied for assisstance for my bond. I pay it off. Am I able to do that with the pet bond too? If I'm still paying off the other one?

[Taurean]

I'm not sure about paying off bonds but they certainly have every right to ask you for a pet bond and $200 is normal. That's what we have paid at our current place.

As for topping up your bond if/when the rent increases, that sounds like a crock to me!! We've rented on and off for 12 years in WA and had several rent increases while at the one property (at three different properties) and we never had to top up our bond. I'd definitely be investigating your rights regarding that.

Rental increases can happen at the discretion of the owner at the end of the lease too but I don't know how that works in community housing. I'd be investigating that too.

Sorry you've been thrown in the deep end

[~clover~]

I've just looked it up & yeah, the pet bond is fair enough. I would like to know if I can pay that one off as I have with the main bond. Will have to ask.
I'm under a periodic agreement I think. As far as I understand they can increase the rent every 6 months... Can't find anything about bond top ups though. Might have to ring & ask someone.

[Taurean]

Yeah, they can increase the rent at the end of the lease or when it's periodic but that bond increase sounds like garbage! I sure hope it is!

[Amy_jellybean]

I know when I worked for a real estate company they could make you top your bond up if your rent increased (this is going back a few years now!). Most owners didn't worry about it but im gussing if it is community housing then they will enforce it.

The pet bond is normal, not sure how you got away without that through a real estate agent!

Best of luck hun x

[~clover~]

Its not through a real estate agent. Wasn't before & isn't now. Its a shire house. Community housing. Was looked after by the local shire, but has been passed onto an actual community housing company, 3 hours from here. Built for that purpose only.