Accommodation Guide for International Students Mount St Mary (Strathfield) Campus Mackillop (North Sydney) Campus Signadou (Canberra) Campus

CRICOS Code: 00004G, 00112C, 00873F, 00885B

Australian Catholic University Limited, ABN 15 050 192 660

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Contents Overview ................................................................................................................ 3 Temporary accommodation ................................................................................... 4 Permanent accommodation .................................................................................... 7 How to find accommodation .................................................................................. 9 Where to live? ......................................................................................................... 11 Important information about renting ..................................................................... 13 Moving in ............................................................................................................... 16 Useful contacts ....................................................................................................... 19

Please note The information provided here is intended as a guide only. The accommodation facilities referred to in this guide are not owned or operated by ACU, nor do they have any affiliation with the University. It is the students responsibility to make contact with providers, arrange inspections and to make their own judgment on the suitability of the accommodation being offered. ACU will not be responsible or held liable in any way to tenancy or any other negotiations between the provider and the student.

Information updated: November 2013

Image Copyright Edward Birchall: www.ekbcreative.com

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Overview

Welcome to ACU!

Looking for accommodation, especially in unfamiliar surroundings, can be a daunting and time consuming process but be patient! It is quite common for it to take up to four weeks to find suitable accommodation. Moving can also be an expensive process so it is better to spend time finding the right accommodation rather than to move into a place quickly and find out shortly after that it is not suitable. The process of renting can be confusing and if you are unsure about anything, including any paperwork, GET ADVICE. Do not sign anything if you do not understand it. Find out as much as possible about the accommodation before you commit.

Keeping safe

It may also be the first time you are living away from home so it is important that you consider your health, safety and wellbeing at all times. Information can be found here.

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Temporary accommodation

Many students prefer to look for temporary accommodation on arrival in Australia and move to longer-term accommodation once they have settled in. There is a range of temporary accommodation available and most of it is within easy reach of ACUs North Sydney campus. Below are some suggestions with details and costs (please check with the provider directly for up to date costs). A Bond/Deposit is required for all bookings.

North Sydney Campus Glenferrie Lodge: From $45* a night in a dormitory (4 beds) From $60* a night in a single economy From $65* a night in a single standard

*all rates include hot buffet breakfast and shared bathroom facilities.

Go to www.glenferrielodge.com for more information.

Carnarvon Lodge: From $79 a night for twin share From $350 for 7 nights in a single room Go to www.carnarvonlodge.com for more information.

Greenwich Village $165 a week in a bunk room (3 or more share) $210 a week in a twin share $315 a week in a single room Go to www.gvasydney.com for more information

Greenwich Village is suitable for longer term accommodation check the website for longer stay prices (staying for 13 weeks or more). A refundable $50 Bond/Deposit is required for all bookings. Breakfast and dinner are provided daily with a hot breakfast available on the weekend

UniLodge Sydney From $334 per week in a Studio Apartment in the heart of the city

Go to www.unilodge.com.au for more information. Semester in Australia This service is for students who are in Australia for one semester only and includes an accommodation service where you can organize a place to live before you leave home. www.semesterinaustralia.com

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Guest Houses 96 Glebe Guest House 115 Surry Hills Guest House 55 Yurong Guest House Go to www.55yurongstreet.com for more information.

YHA Sydney Harbor Hostel From $32 per bed per night (mixed room 6+ share) From $133 for a twin share (private bathroom)

Go to www.yha.com.au for more information. Urbannest New student accommodation in private room (private

bathroom) in a 4 or 6 bedroom apartment. From $404 per week (rent includes utilities). Book for 6 months.

Go to www.urbanest.com.au for more information. Strathfield Campus Ibis Budget Enfield $98+ for a single room

Go to www.accorhotels.com for more information.

Burwood Boronia Lodge From $79 per night in a single room (shared bathroom) Go to www.boronialodge.com.au for more information.

Canberra Campus Northbourne Lodge From $90 per night for a single room (private bathroom)

Go to www.northbournelodge.com.au for more information.

Canberra YHA (Youth Hostel) From $28 per night for a dorm room (10 share mixed) From $35 per night for a dorm room (4 share single sex

dorms) From $99 per night for a double room

Look at www3.yha.com.au for more information. Mackillop House $220 weekly board (includes food, gas, electricity and

internet access) + administration fee + bond Is for female students only and preference is given to

students who are in their first year of study. Email: mhact@tpg.com.au or phone: 02 6249 6182 for more information.

If you are looking for short to long term hotel stay, you can find reduced rates through www.independentstudentliving.net.au. This company offers hotel deals for students - although prices are cheaper if you decide to stay for longer periods. This website is suitable for North Sydney and Strathfield campus only.

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Other alternatives for cheaper temporary accommodation are back packers, youth hostels or bed and breakfast type accommodation and many of these can be found by searching the internet. Some of this accommodation may be suitable for longer term stays over a semester and you should discuss the price for a longer stay as it may be discounted. Hostelworld (www.hostelworld.com) also has an excellent range of hostels.

Homestay Students can organise Homestay for both temporary accommodation and permanent accommodation. There is a minimum length of stay of 4 weeks for temporary bookings. The cost of homestay is from $200 per week (depending on the type of homestay service you choose), plus $240 booking fee. Payment must be made prior to Homestay accommodation being confirmed. Students can book through our Homestay provider The Australian Homestay Network (AHN) For more information and to book: Phone: 1300 679 829 www.homestaynetwork.org. Payment must be made prior to Homestay accommodation being confirmed.

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Permanent accommodation

Looking for accommodation can be time-consuming and demanding but it is better to take your time and find the accommodation which is right for you. Factors to consider include: Location

How far from the university are you happy to live?

The closer you live to the city and to ACU, the more expensive the accommodation can be.

Will you use public transport, drive or walk?

How close to the shops do you want to be?

The further you live from the city the more expensive the public transport costs. If you are a driver, where will you keep your car, in a driveway, garage or sitting on the road?

Will you look for part-time work? And if so, what kind of hours will you work?

It is important to think about if you home is close to places that you could find work, such as retail stores and restaurants, and also to consider how far and at what times you will be travelling to and from work and the safety factors involved.

Type of Accommodation

Are you with a group of students or on your own?

If you have come to Australia with friends you may wish to obtain a house together or alternatively you may be seeking privacy and wish to have accommodation on your own. If you are going to set up or move into a share-house then it is important that you discuss how the bills will be paid, how groceries will be shared/divided, cleaning schedule and agreements about noise, parties and having people over.

Do you want your own kitchen and bathroom or are you happy to share with others? Some student accommodation providers offer private rooms with shared kitchen and/or bathroom facilities. Share-houses are when a group of people, either friends or strangers, rent a house together, having their own bedrooms but sharing all other living areas. Private accommodation is usually more expensive but you get to have your own kitchen and bathroom.

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Would you like to move into a fully furnished house with a family/host who would provide all/most of your meals? Living with a family or host is called Homestay or boarding. The price can seem quite high but the amount that you pay includes the cost of food (usually at least breakfast and dinner is provided), utilities and rent. You also do not need to worry about organizing furniture or connection of gas/water and electricity.

Do you prefer to live in ACU student accommodation such as at Camperdown in Sydney and ACU student residences in Canberra?

Costs It is important to have a budget in mind when looking for accommodation. The budget should include everything, such as:

- Rent - Groceries/Food - Travel money - Utilities (phone, gas, electricity etc.) - School fees (if applicable) - Text books/ stationery/ photocopying - Entertainment

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How to find accommodation There are many different sources that you can use when looking for accommodation, some being specific to the type of accommodation you are looking for. North Sydney & Strathfield ACU Student Accommodation - Camperdown Offering a choice of studio and multi-share apartments, this new ACU student accommodation is located in the heart of Sydney in the suburb of Camperdown. Situated in Australia Street, the residence started life as a warehouse in what was once a light industrial part of Sydney and has been transformed into a unique student residence in what is now a thriving student hub of Sydney. Communal facilities include:

A reception service operating throughout the day

A large communal multi-purpose room for events and gatherings

A designated group study area, which facilitates small or large groups in a variety of rooms

A recreation/games room including Table Tennis, Pool and Cable TV

A general social room for informal gatherings

A large atrium area in the heart of the building

A coin operated laundry with various additional vending options

Comprehensive bicycle storage including the opportunity to use the House Bikes

High Speed Internet facilities (at an additional cost) For further information including costs, please click here. To register your interest, please click here.

Studio room at Camperdown Camperdown Memorial Cheap eats in Park the local area

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Canberra ACU Student Accommodation Canberra ACU is pleased to offer three accommodation options for students in 2014: ACU Managed Residences self-catered accommodation in share houses managed by the university MacKillop House (for females only) dorm-style accommodation with meals provided Australian Institute of Sport dorm-style accommodation with meals provided For further information, please click here. Private rental and share-house accommodation: www.realestate.com.au www.domain.com.au www.roomz.com/rooms www.flatmatefinders.com.au www.flatmates.com.au http://au.easyroommate.com www.shareaccommodation.org www.sharedstudentaccommodation.com/wantroom www.gumtree.com.au Student Accommodation Providers www.unilodge.com.au www.austudent.com Homestay Accommodation Providers You can apply for homestay accommodation by going to the AHN website www.homestaynetwork.org

Newspapers The Age Newspaper Saturday Edition lists rental properties The Sydney Morning Herald Sun - Saturday and Wednesday editions. The Mosman Daily The Glebe Notice Boards Many people advertise house shares on notice boards around the campuses so it is always worth a look here too.

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Where to live? These are some popular suburbs for students to find affordable and accessible rental properties: Close to the Uni*: Suburbs close to North Sydney: Crows Nest, Kirribilli, Milsons Point, Chatswood, St Leonards, Waverton, Wollstonecraft. Suburbs close to Strathfield: Strathfield South, Burwood, Enfield, Five Dock, Ashfield. Suburbs close to Canberra: Watson, Downer, Bruce, Ainslie, Hackett, OConnor. 20-60 mins travel by train / bus / bike: Sydney Suburbs: Western (Burwood, Ashfield) and Southern (Hurstville, Rockdale, Kogarah) suburbs. Canberra Suburbs: Most suburbs within Canberra are quite close (within 30 mins travel time to each other). *Accommodation close to ACU, especially North Sydney campus, can be quite expensive and in high demand. Further away from campus, accommodation is often of better quality and cheaper. But your travel expenses may be higher you need to look into these things when deciding where to live.

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Sydney suburbs

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Important information about renting

Bonds What is a bond? A bond is a deposit that tenants (people renting accommodation) usually have to pay to the landlord (accommodation owner) that at the end of a lease or tenancy the landlord can claim money from if there is any damage to the property that was not there before you moved in. How much is the bond? A bond is usually equivalent to 4 weeks of rent for the property. Who looks after the bond during the tenancy? The bond is held by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority for the duration of the tenancy, never by the landlord. What if the landlord applies to keep the bond and I disagree? If you believe that you are entitled the full bond back at the end of your tenancy then you can appeal to a Tribunal who will review the case. Tenancy Agreements It is very important that you do not sign a tenancy agreement until you have inspected the accommodation and read the agreement carefully. A tenancy agreement is a legally binding contract and so it is very important that you understand all the terms and conditions. A tenancy can be fixed term, most commonly for 1 year, or a continuing agreement. If you are going to be studying for less than one year, such as exchange students, then you may find it difficult to get a tenancy agreement.

MAKE SURE YOU READ THE AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS BEFORE SIGNING!

For more information about the terms and conditions of each agreement, follow this link to the Renting Guide.

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Tips for problem free renting can be found here.

Residential Premises Condition Report

A Residential Premises Condition Report should be completed by the Landlord or agent, before you move in, and two copies should be given to you. If you disagree with any part of the report, you should note it in the report, keep a copy as your record, and return the final copy to the landlord or agent, within seven days. It is important that you note any damage, or things that dont work, such as broken lights or power points, broken cupboard doors, damaged tiles, broken floor boards, or peeling paint. If you dont record them you might have to pay for their repair at the end of your lease.

For furnished properties you should have an INVENTORY OF CONTENTS. This is a list of all the contents of the premises, including all furniture, furnishings, household utensils and appliances; it should also have notes on the conditions of each item. Both you and the landlord should keep a copy of the report.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW AND TO REMEMBER ABOUT LEASING

To protect you, ALL agreements made with landlords and agents should be in writing.

You must always keep a copy of ALL written correspondence with

your landlord or agent. But, if you make a verbal agreement with your landlord you still have rights and responsibilities.

Before you sign ANY agreement ensure you read very carefully

through the contract.

Make sure you keep all important documents like; rent payment receipts, the copy of your lease, your bond receipts, condition report, and the inventory of contents, in a safe place in case you need them in the future.

Remember you can always ask for help either from the

International Student Adviser or through the government information services if you have questions or problems.

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Fire Safety at Home It is sad but true that international students have been involved in fire incidents that have resulted in severe burns and even death, and worst of all most of these incidents could have been prevented by having a fire alarm on the property. In Australia it is illegal not to have a fully operational fire alarm in your house or apartment. If you are in a rental property this is the responsibility of your landlord. However, it is your responsibility to ensure that the fire alarm batteries are charged and to check that the alarm is working at least once every six months.

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Moving in Utilities and Phone connections In some accommodation situations, such some student accommodation facilities, you do not need to worry about paying or connecting utilities (electricity, gas, water) as these will be included in the price of your rent. If you move into a private rental property or an empty share house with friends it will be your responsibility to organize the utility connections. Utility companies usually require at least 48 hours notice to have the utility switched on and can sometimes charge a fee for the service. Rental agents can sometimes organize these for you and although you will have to pay a fee for the service it may be a quicker and easier option that contacting the companies yourself. Most international students do not install landline phones and are happy to use their mobile phones for day to day use instead. If you do wish to install a landline it is important to remember that you are charged rental on the phone line, not just for the calls you make. The cost of local calls in Australia is 0.50 cents per call. Furniture If you are moving into an unfurnished property then finding some furniture will be a high priority when you move in! Second-hand furniture is a great option for students trying to find cheap household goods. Op-shops (Opportunity shops) often have pre-loved tables, chairs, couches etc. that are very cheap, and so too do private garage sales. Find superstores around Sydney: Ikea www.ikea.com.au Fantastic Furniture www.fantasticfurniture.com.au The Good Guys www.thegoodguys.com.au The Moore Park Supercentre (Sydney), has a few of these shops and there is a bus that runs from Central Station directly to Moore Park (near Centennial Park). For a small charge you can get your furniture delivered. Find charity shops around Sydney: St Vincent De Paul and Salvation Army stores for second hand items.

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The Trading Post Newspaper Trading Post newspaper and website comes out every Thursday for private sellers of all types of items including furniture. Website: www.tradingpost.com.au. You can also find second hand goods on: www.gumtree.com.au

You may also want to look into renting furniture and household goods, try the Yellow Pages index under Hire- Household Appliances and Furniture. Website: www.yellowpages.com.au

If you dont much like the idea of second-hand furniture there are also many stores that carry affordable household items: www.kmart.com.au www.target.com.au www.bunnings.com.au www.bigW.com.au www.ikea.com.au It is worthwhile to visiting a number of different shops before you choose one. You will find that the price and quality of the items will vary quite substantially between different retailers. While it is expensive initially to set up your home with furniture, remember that when you leave it is possible for you to sell them to other students or to second hand shops/disposals or even to advertise them in the local newspaper. Connecting Services Unless someone is already living in the accommodation, the new tenant must organize utility services, such as telephone, electricity, gas and water. This requires contacting each individual company and arranging for the services to be connected from a specified date. The companies providing these utilities also require a small security deposit. Instead of making numerous calls to different companies, there are utility provider companies who do all the work for you. If someone has vacated the property before you, contacting these utility companies for connection of services will ensure all previous accounts have been finalised and paid for by the previous tenant. There are a number of these companies who will help you by arranging your phone, electricity, gas, water, internet and pay TV. This company does not charge for its services; however you will have to pay connection fees for the utilities you require. You can contact each of the various utility suppliers yourself if you prefer e.g. Origin Energy for gas and electricity, or Optus or Telstra for phone and internet connections etc.

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Connectnow www.connectnow.com.au UtilityOne www.utilityone.com.au eMove www.emove.com.au FastConnect www.fastconnect.com.au Origin www.originenergy.com.au Telstra www.telstra.com.au Optus www.optus.net.au Paying Bills There are a few different ways that you can pay your bills in Australia. Check with the service provider or read your bill to check which payment options they accept. Some of the options are: Australia Post Office - if you want to pay by savings card or with cash this is a good option, but check with the provider as some companies charge a fee for paying by Australia Post. BPAY where you use internet banking to pay bills using a customer reference number and company billing number. Ask your bank for more details, but generally this is a safe and easy way to pay your bills. Credit Card If you have one it can be an easy way to pay bills (usually by phone or internet). Direct Debit You can set up a direct debit from your bank account so the money is debited every month, but the money needs to be in the account otherwise fees occur. Cheque You generally have the option to pay by cheque by attaching your cheque to a tear-off slip from the bill and mailing it to the company. Make sure you are very careful in addressing the envelope to avoid your cheque getting lost in the mail. Housemates It is important to be open and honest about what you expect from your fellow housemates when you initially move in. You should discuss things such as cleaning schedules, bill payments, gardening (if applicable), grocery shopping (such as who buys the toilet paper/cleaning products etc). You should also discuss things like appropriate time for music/TV to be switched off, a policy on having visitors and depending on the size of the house, a bathroom schedule. Talking about this at the beginning will hopefully eliminate difficult situations later down the track.

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USEFUL CONTACTS NSW Tenants Union Hotline Phone: 9251 6590 Website: www.tenants.org.au The Tenants Union of NSW has an excellent website full of useful information about tenants rights. It includes on-line access to the publications the Tenants Rights Manual, as well as the very handy and accurate Tenants Factsheets, which cover everything from Leases and Bonds, to your status in share housing, how to get repairs done, give notice or access the Residential Tenancies Tribunal.

ACT ACT Office of Fair Trading Phone: 6207 3000 Website: www.ors.act.gov.au/community/fair_trading

Tenants Advice ACT Phone: 02 6247 2011 Website: www.tenantsact.org.au

National Commonwealth Ombudsman Phone: 1300 362 072 Website: www.comb.gov.au

Rent Australia Website: http://www.rentaustralia.com

Has some good information about renting in all states, including legislation and fact sheets.