 Tenants, owners and property managers come from all walks of life. You all have your own needs, responsibilities and rights, like your right to privacy or for your rent to be paid on time. The key to a successful tenancy is to know where you stand. Knowing your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, owner or manager, knowing what to do in certain situations can help your tenancy run smoothly. Before a tenancy starts, there are a few things that you should know. The property owner or manager needs to ensure the property is clean and meets all health and safety standards, including minimum housing standards. Tenants should always see the property and read the proposed tenancy agreement before they sign or pay anything. Tenants should get a receipt for any money paid. The tenancy agreement or lease is a legal document that outlines the conditions of the tenancy and the rights and responsibilities of the tenant and the property owner or manager. It will contain standard terms that are common to most tenancies, like how the tenant should pay rent and the agreement may also include special terms that are specific to the tenancy, like whether you can keep a pet or who's responsible for paying the water bill. Once the tenancy agreement has been signed, the property owner or manager must give each tenant listed on the agreement a copy for their records. Make sure you keep it somewhere safe as you may need to refer to it later. A tenant may be asked to pay a rental bond. A bond is a security deposit a tenant pays at the start of the tenancy. This is lodged with the RTA online or by mail within 10 days of receipt and is kept safe until the end of the tenancy. The bond cannot be held by the property manager or owner. At the end of the tenancy, provided no money is owed to the owner or manager for rent, cleaning, damages or other costs, the bond is refunded back to the tenant. An entry condition report records the state of the property at the start of the tenancy. The property owner or manager gives the tenant a copy of the report by the time they are ready to move in. Make sure the entry condition report accurately describes the condition of the property. If you don't agree, write it down as it may have an impact later in the tenancy. The tenant has seven days to fill out the entry condition report and return it back to the property manager or owner. The property owner or manager will return a completed copy back to the tenant within 14 days. It's a good idea to take photographs as this may be used to prove what state the property was in at the start of the tenancy. Keep the signed entry condition report alongside any photographs taken in a safe place. In summary, tenants should see the property and carefully read the proposed agreement before they sign or pay anything. Get a receipt for any money paid. Fill out the entry condition report and take photos. Property owners or managers should ensure the property is clean and meets all health and safety standards, including minimum housing standards before the tenant moves in. Lodge the rental bond with the RTA within 10 days of receiving it and keep a record of all documentation that relates to the tenancy in a safe place. The RTA is here to make renting work for everyone. Visit us online at rta.qld.gov.au or call us on 1300 366 31.