Do you have an adult child still living at home? Would you downsize your home and to-do list if they could secure a place of their own? In a tight rental market, this is a common problem for many right now.

Fortunately, Perth remains the most affordable city in Australia to rent in. However, with limited properties available, finding a property can be challenging, let alone being approved for one. That’s why it’s more important than ever to ensure a rental application stands out from the rest.

Here are 4 tips to ensure a rental application stands out in a tight rental market:

1. Be ready to act quickly

With property managers being inundated  with applications for every rental property they list, it is important to be well prepared and act quickly. Having a pre-prepared application will give your son or daughter a good head start. They can pre-prepare an application via any online rental application platform. REIWA’s Apply Now option saves all information entered in one place so that when a rental becomes available, the information is already saved and ready to submit.

2. Make the first impression count

Encourage your son or daughter to dress smartly for their rental inspection, be on time and introduce themselves to the property manager. This will help them stand out from the the others. A property manager is more likely to remember the prospective tenant who made a good first impression and took the initiative to shake their hand and introduce themselves than those who just rolled up and looked like they’d just climbed out of bed. Remind them that it is the property manager’s job to create a shortlist of the best candidates to present to the owner. That’s why the first impression counts.

3. Think outside the box when there’s no rental history

Everybody has to start somewhere. If your adult child has never rented before, they can still show their ability to pay the rent with a demonstrated savings record, income track record and board payment schedule (if applicable). And if they have rented before but have since moved back home, ensure they can account for their rental history. reiwa.com Tenant Check provides all the information necessary to determine their viability for a tenancy. It also shows them exactly what the property manager sees. And if it shows a past tenancy breach, ensure they are transparent about it and bring it up to explain what happened before the property manager discovers it.

4. Consider a pet resume

If your son or daughter can’t bear to part with their beloved fur baby when they move out, suggest they submit a concise pet resume with their application. It should include things like age, breed, size, temperament and relevant documents and photos. Ensure they only apply for properties that will consider a pet on application not those that say ‘strictly no pets’.

For more tips and advice, here is a link to REIWA’s essential guide to renting.