Type the words ‘tenants rights Australia’ into Google and you get 240,000 hits. And while it’s fair to say some pages might be more useful than others, this simple test highlights the vast amount of information now at tenants’ fingertips.

Many tenants are now far more informed of their rights and obligations when renting a property than ever before. They benefit from a wealth of information available online and in magazines and publications that cover a wide range of topics connected with property management.

EBM Managing Director Jeff Adams believes well-informed tenants deserve well-informed landlords.

“There is no doubt that renters are now far savvier about their rights and obligations, as well as those of their landlord,” Mr. Adams said. “It’s important for landlords today to be just as informed as their tenants so they can maximise the productivity of their investment property and maintain happy tenants.”

While warning that more information is not necessarily the same as better information, Mr. Adams says a landlord’s best resource is their property manager.

“Property managers are there to assist landlords administer their properties and receive ongoing training to ensure they know the latest in matters relating to protecting landlords rights, duties and obligations,” Mr Adams said.

A prime example of this is ‘tenant hardship’ – a relatively new clause being recognised by courts and tribunals that can affect the obligations of tenants in times of hardship. The law has found that in cases where continuing the tenancy will cause undue hardship to the tenant, the lease may be lawfully terminated immediately, without penalty.

This can obviously have severe implications for landlords and understanding exactly what constitutes hardship is important in protecting the profitability of investment rental properties.

In response to issues surrounding tenant hardship, EBM have included a tenant hardship clause in its RentCoverUltra and RentCoverPlatnium products, which compensates landlords for up to six weeks rent in these circumstances, even though it has been deemed a lawful termination.

For more information about EBM’s range of insurance products, call 1300 INSURE or visit www.rentcover.com.au.