Your Festive Season Guide Property Management Edition

Festive Season Tips: Staying Merry, Safe and Stress-Free

As the festive season approaches, it’s the perfect time to unwind, celebrate, and enjoy a well-earned break with family and friends. Before switching into holiday mode, a few simple steps can help tenants and landlords ensure their homes and investments stay safe, secure, and stress-free over the Christmas and New Year period.

For Tenants: Getting Your Home Holiday-Ready

1. Check Your Rent Payments

Before heading away, double-check that your direct debit or scheduled rent payments are set up correctly.
With bank holidays and processing delays, missed payments are more common at this time of year. If your rent isn’t paid in advance, it can lead to arrears or reminder notices. A quick check now can help avoid unnecessary issues later.

2. Keep Your Home Secure

If you’re travelling, avoid leaving spare keys hidden outside. Instead, leave a key with a trusted friend, neighbour, or family member who can check in while you’re away.

Before leaving, please:

• Turn off any air-conditioning timers
• Isolate the water supply
• Lock all windows and external doors
• Activate alarms securely (if applicable)

These small steps can make a big difference in protecting your home and belongings.

3. Let Someone Know You’ll Be Away

A quick conversation with a neighbour can go a long way. Let them know you’ll be away and ask if they can keep an eye out for anything unusual, such as overflowing mail or lights left on. Community awareness helps keep your home and neighbourhood safer.

4. Maintain Lawns and Gardens

Please ensure gardens are watered and lawns are kept tidy during the holiday period.
If you’ll be away for an extended time, arrange for someone to tend to the garden in your absence. This keeps the property in good condition and helps you stay on top of tenancy responsibilities.

5. Unplug and Protect

Before you head off, take a moment to:

• Unplug non-essential appliances
• Switch off power points where possible
• Check that external areas are secure

Unplugging saves energy and reduces electrical risks, while securing all entry points helps prevent break-ins.

6. Keep Your Property Manager Informed

If you’ll be away for a longer period, please let your property manager know.
Sharing a temporary contact number or emergency contact ensures we can reach you promptly if unexpected issues arise, such as urgent repairs or maintenance concerns.

For Landlords: Preparing Your Investment for the Holiday Season

Review Your Insurance

The end of the year is a great time to review your landlord insurance policy.
Summer in WA can bring an increase in break-ins and accidental damage. While major storms are less common during this time of year, it’s still important to make sure your landlord insurance includes coverage for:

• Liability
• Loss of rent
• Malicious and accidental damage

Having the right protection in place provides peace of mind while tenants enjoy their holidays.

Plan Ahead for Vacancies

If your tenant’s lease is due to end soon, remember that the holiday season can affect advertising and leasing timelines. With fewer inspections and limited contractor availability, early planning helps avoid unnecessary delays.

Your property manager can advise on:

• The best time to list your property
• Local market conditions in your suburb
• Strategies to minimise vacancy periods

D Residential: Here to Help You Through the Season

At D Residential Group, we pride ourselves on delivering a personal, boutique service that supports both landlords and tenants. We don’t just manage properties, we build lasting relationships based on care, communication, and trust.

Our dedicated team ensures that every home we manage is safe, compliant, and well looked after, so you can enjoy peace of mind as we head into the festive period and beyond.

Whether you’re preparing your property for the holidays or planning ahead for the new year, our team is here to help with all aspects of property management in Perth.