Accommodation Glossary

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN ACCOMMODATION ADVERTISING

A

AC – air conditioned

adj - adjacent

B

BIR – built in wardrobe

brm – bedroom

bthrm – bathroom

BV - brick veneer

BYO - bring your own

C

cl - close

D

DLUG – double lock up garage

E

ent - entrance

exc - excellent

exp - expenses

ext - external

F

F/F - fully furnished

H

hse - house

htg - heating

htr - heater

HWS - hot water service (sometimes HWU - hot water unit)

I

insp - inspect

int - internal

K

KIO - keys in office. You can collect keys from the real estate office to view the property

kit - kitchen

L

lrg - large

lnge- lounge

LUG – lock up garage

N

neg - negotiable

O

OFP - open fireplace

ONO - or nearest offer (person is wiling to negotiate on price)

OSP - off street parking (car space available) somewhere on the property rather than on the street

OYO - own your own (each flat has a separate owner)

R

ref's req - references required

rent pcm - rent per calendar month (weekly rent x 4.3)

rent pw - rent per week

res - residence

S

SLUG - single lock up garage

W

wwc - wall to wall carpet

WIR - walk in wardrobe

 

ACCOMMODATION TERMS

Bond - a security deposit that you pay at the start of your tenancy. The landlord must lodge your bond with the Bond Authority. The maximum bond you can be charged is 4 weeks rent. Your bond is returned at the end of your tenancy provided the property is left in good condition.

Condition report - a document stating the condition of the property (inside & out) at the time you move in. The report helps determine if you are responsible for repairs/cleaning costs when you move out. The report should be filled in by your landlord & given to you when you move in. You then have three working days to add your comments & return the report to your landlord.

Cul-de-sac - A cul de-sac is a dead end street. An example of a cul de sac is a street that ends in a circle instead of going into another street.

En suite - An en suite bathroom can only be reached by a door in the bedroom. If your bedroom has an en suite, it is your private bathroom.

Flat - includes dwellings in blocks that are self-contained.

Granny flat – Self contained open unit, usually small and attached to a property with a house.

Key deposit - a real estate agent usually asks for a $50 key deposit & a copy of identification before giving you the key to view a property. The $50 is returned to you when you return the key.

Kitty - money that the household members contribute toward shopping & household expenses.

Landlord / landlady - owner of the property.

Lease - a written (or verbal) tenancy agreement made between tenant & landlord (or landlord's agent). A lease is a legally binding contract. It is best to secure a written agreement, as verbal agreements need to be proven before rental laws apply.

Month in advance - rental payments are usually made one month in advance.

Real estate agent - agent who acts on behalf of the owner of the property.

Separate meter - meters measure the usage of utilities like gas, electricity and water. You are responsible for the cost of utilities if a separate meter is available in your rental property. If a separate meter is not available, the cost of utilities is your landlord's responsibility who may incorporate your share of utilities into the rent, or split the cost amongst tenants when the utility bills arrive.

Verandah - A porch or balcony, usually roofed and often partly enclosed, extending along the outside of a building.