Reasons for Moving Out
- Need to move closer to work of study
- Have formed a relationship and decide to live with that person.
- Decide to move into shared accommodation with a group of friends.
- Choose to leave home because of conflict, arguments or restrictions at home.
- Be asked to leave by parents.
- Leaving home are to further their education
- Seek employment
- Establish an independent lifestyle
Major Issues
- Home sickness
- Unreadiness – you may find you are not quite ready to handle all the responsibilities
- Money worries – bills (including rent, utilities like gas and electricity and the cost of groceries) may catch you by surprise, especially if you are used to your parents providing for everything. Debt may become an issue
- Flatmate problems – issues such as paying bills on time, sharing housework equally, friends who never pay board, but stay anyway, and lifestyle incompatibilities (such as a non-drug-user flatting with a drug user) may result in hostilities and arguments.
- Having all required documents
- Having a safe place to live
Organisations Offering Support
Government
- Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. This is a federal government department providing services to young people.
- Centrelink. This is the main federal government welfare agency. It provides specialist staff, including counsellors and social workers, who work with young people in greatest need.
- Community Services
- Anglicare
- St Vincent De Paul
- The Salvation Army- They provides many welfare services, including hostels for the homeless, counselling, drop-in centres, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, health workers and recreation centres.
- Youth refuges
- Community centres
- Community housing
- Drop-in centres
- Lifeline
Types of Accommodation
- Setting up your own flat
- Moving into a share house
- Setting up your own share house
- Entering a university college.
Finding The Right Place
- Houses and flats that are available for renting (or sharing) are advertised in newspapers, on the internet, in real estate agents’ windows and on community noticeboards
- You should make a shortlist of all those that may meet your requirements and then conduct an inspection
- When conducting this inspection, it is a good idea to draw up a checklist such as the one at right
- The accommodation you finally choose will be the one that meets most of your requirements
Arranging A Lease: The Process
- Determine exactly what type of premises you require; for example, size and location. You then need to locate the available suitable properties using newspapers, bulletin boards, real estate agents or the internet.
- Obtain a copy of the residential tenancy agreement from the agent. This is an agreement between the landlord and the tenant that outlines all the terms that both parties must follow.
- Complete the condition report. This details the exact condition of the property when you move in. It is extremely important as any disputes regarding the state of the property when you leave can be related to the condition report.
- You may be asked to pay a reservation fee. This is usually one week’s rent that will reserve the premises for you while your application for tenancy is being considered
- Sign the lease after reading it and checking it thoroughly.
- Pay a rental bond, usually four weeks’ rent. This money is lodged by the landlord at the Rental Bond Board, operated by NSW Fair Trading. It is used to cover the landlord for any damages or repair costs if you leave the unit in an unsatisfactory condition, or if you break the terms of the agreement by failing to pay rent or give notice of vacating.
- A tenant must pay the rent in advance from the first day of tenancy. Most landlords or their agents require two weeks’ rent in advance.
- The final step is to take possession of the premises. This involves obtaining the keys and moving in with your belongings
Task Sharing
Examples of household tasks
- Dusting.
- Sweeping.
- Vacuuming.
- Washing dishes.
- Feeding pets.
- Doing laundry.
- Preparing meals.
- Cleaning bathrooms.
- Create a roaster