If you thought that up until now landlords and agents had it all their own way, then chances are you’re probably right. Whether it’s been getting stuff fixed, rents being raised, leases terminated or not renewed for what seems like no reason at all, Worry no more Realia is now giving tenants a chance to speak out.
Our new platform, realia.com.au, is however, not just a landlord bashing opportunity. Realia is about demonstrating the real problems and frustrations people go through as tenants with a view towards improving the structure of rentals in Australia by having a real base from which better rental methods can be developed through ratings and reviews.
We want to hear from landlords and property managers, just as much as we want to hear from tenants. If your property is reviewed by a tenant on Realia, then we welcome your response to that review and this will give you the opportunity to raise any concerns you may have.
We’re building a database that is going to change the way people look for a rental property. Now, when you’re seeking a home to call your own, you can access Realia database to see what tenants have said about the property previously:
- Have the tenants been happy?
- What are the neighbours like?
- Is the neighbourhood a good place to live?
- What is the landlord/property manager like?
These and other areas of interest will be the focus of Realia, giving you valuable information when making a decision about renting a property.
What’s really happening is that we are building a bank of local experts just like you. If you’re thinking of moving to an area, a street or even a specific property, you can log onto Realia and ask questions. Realia will show you a connection to previous tenants and what their comments have been. You can invite that tenant to tell you more about the property or the area.
It costs nothing to join Realia and it could save you from making the wrong decision when deciding on your next address. By posting a review on Realia you can also help others from falling into the same pot of woes that you have just vacated. Perhaps you were renting a place that had mould, bad plumbing or wiring, dodgy stairs, ill-fitting cupboards, bad lighting or a host of other problems.
Tell people about it on Realia.
Your review will warn others. What this means is that the rental landscape will start to change. If a landlord is having trouble re-renting a property because he does not want to spend any money on it, then his house will sit un-tenanted for long periods. Realia does not want to see landlords losing money – all we want is a fair-go for the tenants, nobody wants sub-standard living conditions or unfair treatment.
If we can encourage landlords and property managers to bring their properties up to a decent standard of living and treat tenants fairly, then everybody wins. The landlord will have no trouble keeping his property tenanted and tenants will live in an acceptable and comfortable home.
We know there are two sides to every story, but if you’re a tenant we’re pretty sure that you’ll have an opinion. If you love your landlord, then we want to hear about that too.
So, get rating and reviewing on Realia. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Spread the word through your contacts and help us build a database that we really believe is going to make a difference to the rental market in Australia.
CLICK HERE to sign up if you havent done so and go for it.
Any questions? Contact Realia here