Prepare now for schoolies, strata professionals warn
With the imminent arrival of young high school graduates, the prospect of Schoolies can understandably be quite stressful for property managers, landlords and short-term rental owners playing host to the festivities.
Archers the Strata Professionals Gold Coast Branch Office Manager Kim Cullen said establishing a list of “House Rules” prior to schoolies arriving will help to set clear boundaries of what is acceptable behaviour for the week.
“While schoolies can be a nervous time for unit owners and property managers, the risk of damage can be significantly reduced by simple mitigation strategies and ground rules,” Ms Cullen said.
“House Rules should include a short list of building rules, such as noise restriction times, guest visiting hours, use of glass in the pool areas and the cost of fixing damages to assets.
“From the get-go, these rules help to establish clear guidelines, and set expectations of what will and will not be tolerated by property managers.”
Ms Cullen said these guidelines should be distributed to school leavers early, so that they have a chance to review them properly, and so parents can assist in helping graduates understand what is expected from them before the week begins.
“We encourage parents to be hands-on in this situation, and believe they should feel empowered to contact property managers to further discuss the House Rules and security, and gain a better understanding of the protocols in place for emergencies,” she said.
Despite reports from previous years of broken furniture and trashed apartments left by this annual celebration, Ms Cullen said one of the biggest concerns of leavers was getting their bond back.
“Many Schoolies have to put down large bond deposits to ensure any damages caused can be fixed accordingly, and certainly want it back,” she said.
“Any damage made to the room or contents during a stay will come out of the bond amount, so if school leavers encounter problems, the best way to come to a resolution is to talk to the accommodation provider as soon as possible.
“Accommodation providers are required to have a complaint handling process and Schoolies are entitled to lodge a written complaint if they feel that they have been treated unfairly.
“If a resolution cannot be reached, a formal complaint can be made to the Office of Fair Trading by calling 13 QGOV (13 74 68).”
Ms Cullen said property managers could promote responsible behaviour this Schoolies by considering these nine tips:
1. Prepare a list of “House Rules” and display clearly in rooms
2. Employ security to monitor behaviour during known problem times
3. Remove glass bottles from rooms (bag checks can be carried out by onsite security)
4. Monitor noise restrictions
5. Enforce a maximum of two external guests permitted to the room at any time, with identification held at reception (this restricts likelihood of parties)
6. Enforce pool rules (no access after 9pm)
7. Lock balconies to mitigate potential risk
8. Take photos of the rooms prior to allowing rooms to be entered (will assist in bond disputes)
9. Notify police of any dangerous behaviour
Queensland Schoolies celebrations commenced on the Gold Coast this weekend.
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