 Hello and season's greetings from the Residential Tendencies Authority. Today's webinar recording is a timely reminder of situations or topics that relate to the holiday season. My name is Lynne from the RTA. Today's recording will cover off a variety of topics about guests, parties, fixtures and going away reminders. As with other recordings the RTA cannot find legal advice. You are always encouraged to make informed decisions and seek your independent advice. So let's kick start with one topic that comes up not just this time of the year but whenever there are celebrations to be held. Queensland Tendency Laws outline tenants general obligations and that includes not to interfere with the reasonable peace, comfort and privacy of neighbours. So whether you're living in a house or an apartment, when it comes to parties or loud music or rowdy behaviour your neighbours need to be kept front of mind. Well it would be great for everyone to get along and be respectful. Should the volume be accessible not appropriate or there's a communication barrier then a neighbour may feel that they need to contact the Queensland Police. When it comes to guests your tenancy or rooming agreement will outline the number of approved occupants. While it may seem as an overnight guest may be okay when they become a more longer term guest then you need to speak with your owner or your manager. For rooming accommodation you may find that you have house rules as part of your agreement regarding no overnight guests. The last thing anyone wants is a complaint made or being issued with a breach notice. So please be mindful of your obligations you've signed under your tenancy agreement and you know it is a sometimes that balance in wanting to have a fun time while ensuring that you don't go overboard where there are complaints that's being made. The festive season provides the opportunity to get creative and put up some decorations but when it comes to some type of the decoration fixtures particularly anything attached to doors, walls, ceilings, gutters or balconies be mindful that they do not leave any marks, holes or damage. If it has you will need to rectify this and more so before you move out. In some situations you may need to check in with your property manager or your owner just for permission for installing some fixtures or fittings. When items come out of storage they're only used once a year or rarely come out it's always a good idea to check for any frame cords and that things like tree lights are all intact from the last season when you did use them. If you do overload power points or power boards you may trip your circuit breaker or your safety switch. Overloading power boards can be a safety problem. So recently the RTA did a webinar with Queensland's Electrical Safety Office. You can find the recording and important electrical safety information on our website including what to do if the circuit breaker does troop. So let's talk about repairs and maintenance. Tenants are encouraged to report any repair issues early to allow the property manager or owner time to be able to attend to it before the holiday season starts. This time in the year there may be shortage of tradespeople and access to parts due to businesses closing for the annual holidays. The tenancy laws outline what an emergency repair is and it is outlined in the standard terms of your tenancy agreement. So should something occur over the festive season your agreement should list who to contact. It's a timely reminder with the weather definitely warming up for summer. Check your air conditioners and make sure that you've cleaned your filters and everything is right to go. Tents may also need to be aware that some real estate officers or property management businesses may close over that Christmas to New Year period or be on skeleton staff or that their landlord may be away over the Christmas time. So check in what their availability is. So now let's have a look at the topic of going away. Remember there are still tenancy obligations even if you are away on your holidays. Check to make sure your rent is paid while you're away or before you go. A home that looks unattended during the holiday season is assigned for a potential break-in risk. Make sure before you go away you have secured your doors and windows, turned off any appliances that need to be turned off, ask a family member or a friend to collect your mail and maybe take care of any plants or mow the lawn. Have an emergency contact person or neighbour to contact if there's a problem in your absence. It's the time of year when we all want to wind down and rush out for that long awaited holiday. Maybe a quick checklist to ensure you have everything organised and the place is secure can add to your own peace of mind. And last, be prepared. It's Queensland summer and with that comes a range of potential natural disasters from bushfires to heat waves to storms, cyclones and flooding. It's really important that you know your area and what potential risks may be in play if you are away. The RTA recently collaborated with the Get Ready Queensland team and what you should know in being prepared with their three-step program. The webinar can be done on the RTA's website or you can search for getreadyqld.gov.au. Tennis should secure any outdoor items and check your content's insurance. Property owners if you haven't already cleared gutters or cut back any overhanging branches or done any repairs, now is the time to make sure this has happened to avoid any increased risk during storm season. And again, also check your insurance policy. As the team from Get Ready Queensland said, it's not a matter of if it's a matter of when Queensland will be affected. Being prepared and following their guidelines will help make things just that little bit easy for everyone when a natural disaster does occur. So on behalf of the RTA I take this opportunity to wish you and your family all the very best for this festive season. The RTA will be open business hours Monday to Friday except for the public holidays. Keep connected with us by subscribing to the RTA News and you can also link in with the RTA on LinkedIn. Remember whether you're a tenant property owner or a property manager the RTA is here to help you. We encourage you to be informed about your rights and responsibilities and visit the RTA's website at rta.qld.gov.au. Besides all the information and the forms and resources you can also log in to the RTA web services for all bond matters including your lodgements and refunds. If you need any further assistance please contact one of our friendly team members on 1300 306 301 we're available Monday to Friday 8 30 a.m to 5 p.m. Thank you for your time today and season's greetings to you.