KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Getting a property ready to rent starts before settlement. Marketing the home early can cut weeks of vacancy and lost income.
- Secure keys and remotes for every lockable opening. Ask the seller to supply them in your purchase offer.
- Meet WA’s minimum security standards. That means a key-lockable main entry door, secured windows and a working light at the entry.
- Check your electrical safety. WA rentals need two RCDs on the switchboard and compliant mains-powered smoke alarms before they can be leased.
- Start with a clean baseline. Professionally cleaned carpets and detailed condition reports make end-of-lease disputes far easier to resolve.
Every week your newly acquired investment sits empty after settlement, income drains straight out of your bank account. Many first-time investors assume that once the settlement paperwork goes through, handing keys to a tenant is a quick weekend job. The reality is that getting a property ready to rent takes financial planning alongside strict legal compliance, and the compliance half is where the delays happen.
Skipping basic preparation leads to tenancy disputes, council fines, or weeks of unnecessary vacancy. At Bourkes we walk Perth landlords through this transition regularly, and the same eight steps come up every time. Work through them before you lease and your investment starts earning without the compliance hiccups.
1. Line Up Tenants Before Settlement Day
Waiting until settlement day to publish your rental listing guarantees at least two to four weeks of zero income while you take photos, run home opens and vet applicants. Once your purchase contract goes unconditional, ask the seller for written permission to market the home for lease immediately. If the house is vacant, ask your agent to request access for tenant inspections prior to settlement. This one conversation often lets your new tenant move in within days of settlement.
2. Secure Keys and Remotes for Every Lock
During a standard sale, a seller is legally required to hand over only one key for the main front door. Tenancy law, however, requires landlords to supply tenants with working keys, fobs and remotes for every lockable opening. To avoid paying an emergency locksmith after settlement, insert a clause into your purchase offer.
Sample Clause: Keys and Remotes
“The seller to provide keys and remotes to all lockable openings. This includes (but is not limited to) door locks, window locks, letterboxes, garages, storerooms and gates. These keys and locks are to be in good working order and supplied prior to the buyer’s final inspection.”
3. Steam Clean the Carpets
Real estate sales do not require a seller to steam clean carpets, but a landlord must provide the property in a clean and reasonable condition at the start of a tenancy, and a professional carpet clean is standard practice. Incoming tenants are expected to return the home in comparable condition when they vacate. Booking a professional clean right after settlement establishes an undisputed baseline, which makes it far easier to hold a tenant accountable at the end of the lease.
4. Ensure Compliance with WA Minimum Security Standards
Under the Residential Tenancies Regulations 1989, overseen by Consumer Protection WA, every rental home must meet minimum security standards for locks, windows and external lighting. Check each of these at your final inspection so you can budget for any missing hardware before you take possession.
- Main entry door: must be key lockable, using either a single or double cylinder deadlock, or a key-lockable security screen door compliant with AS 5039-2008.
- Other external doors: a deadlock, or a patio bolt lock where a deadlock cannot be fitted, or an AS 5039-2008 compliant security screen door.
- Windows: openable windows need a working latch, closer or lock and must be secured against opening from outside. Keyed locks are not required, and windows fitted with a compliant security screen do not need a separate lock. Louvred windows need a working lock or another mechanism that holds the lever fully closed.
- External lighting: at least one electric light at or near the main entry, capable of lighting that entry and operable from inside. This does not apply where a strata body is responsible for the lighting.
5. Verify RCDs and Hard-Wired Smoke Alarms
Western Australian law requires two residual current devices (RCDs) installed on the switchboard before a property can be leased. Smoke alarms must be permanently connected to consumer mains power, and must be no more than 10 years old. Battery-powered alarms are permitted only in limited circumstances — generally where there is no hidden space to run wiring and no suitable alternative location, or the building has no mains connection — and those alarms must have a non-removable 10-year battery. Mains-powered alarms must be installed by a licensed electrical contractor before the property is tenanted.
If these safety features are absent at settlement you cannot legally lease the home until they are installed, so protect your budget by adding an electrical clause to your purchase offer.
Sample Clause: Electrical Certificate
“Seller to provide a current Electrical Certificate confirming the subject property conforms to legislation regarding RCDs and hard-wired smoke alarms.”
If the seller cannot provide that certificate, expect to spend roughly $88 to $100 for an electrician to inspect and certify the switchboard and alarms. Costs vary between contractors, so confirm the fee before you book.
6. Test Alarm Systems and Obtain Master Codes
A working security alarm attracts quality tenants, but an unserviceable alarm without a code is just an annoyance. Test the system during your pre-settlement walkthrough and confirm the seller will provide the master PIN. A straightforward contract warranty protects your position.
Sample Clause: Alarm Warranty
“The owner warrants the alarm system is operational and master codes will be handed over prior to settlement.”
7. Establish a Spotless Cleaning Baseline
Settlement cleanliness rarely meets the standard required for a rental handover. Hiring commercial cleaners and gardeners to perform a complete overhaul sets a firm benchmark for your tenants. Detailed condition reports backed by high-resolution photos make expectations clear from day one and are your primary evidence if the property is not returned in comparable condition.
8. Appoint Professional Property Managers
Managing an investment property on your own often leads to late-night emergency calls, missed rent reviews and paperwork mistakes. Engaging expert property management takes the frontline stress off your plate: a dedicated manager screens tenants, schedules routine inspections, enforces lease terms and arranges licensed maintenance at fair prices.
Our ultimate guide to property management in Perth sets out what good oversight looks like, and if you already have a manager who is not delivering, our guide to changing property managers explains how to switch without penalty. Whether you plan to hold long term or eventually sell your property, proactive management keeps the asset running like a business.
If you would like your new investment leased without the compliance guesswork, book a pre-lease compliance check and we will tell you exactly what the property needs before it goes to market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting a Property Ready to Rent
What are the minimum security standards for rental properties in WA?
The Residential Tenancies Regulations 1989 require a key-lockable main entry door using a deadlock or a compliant security screen door, secured external doors, openable windows that cannot be opened from outside, and at least one working light at or near the main entry that can be operated from inside.
How many RCDs does a rental property need in WA?
Two. Lessors must have two RCDs installed on the switchboard before the premises can be leased. If the seller cannot provide an electrical certificate confirming this, a licensed electrician will need to inspect and certify the switchboard before you lease.
Do smoke alarms in a WA rental have to be hard-wired?
In most cases, yes. Alarms must be permanently connected to consumer mains power and be no more than 10 years old. Battery-only alarms are allowed in limited cases, such as where there is no hidden space to run wiring, and those must have a non-removable 10-year battery. Mains-powered alarms must be installed by a licensed electrical contractor.
Do landlords have to professionally clean carpets in WA?
A landlord must provide the home in a clean and reasonable condition at the start of a tenancy. A professional carpet clean after settlement is standard practice and gives you a documented baseline, which makes any end-of-lease discussion about carpet condition much simpler to resolve.
Can I advertise a rental before settlement?
Often you can, if the seller agrees. Once your purchase contract goes unconditional, ask the seller for written permission to market the home for lease and to allow tenant inspections before settlement. Doing this can cut two to four weeks of vacancy.
How much does an electrical certificate cost in WA?
If the seller cannot provide a current certificate, expect to pay roughly $88 to $100 for an electrician to inspect and certify the switchboard and alarms. Costs vary between contractors, so confirm the fee when you book.
Disclaimer: Guidelines and legal requirements mentioned in this article reflect Western Australian residential tenancy laws and Consumer Protection standards current at the time of publication (2026). Landlords should verify specific compliance details or seek professional advice before executing purchase contracts or entering lease agreements.
