Renting

Learning Sequence

Activity 2: The Lease (English)

2. The Residential Tenancy Agreement (the lease) contains detailed terms and conditions. It sets out the rights and responsibilities of the landlord and the tenant, and it is legally binding document.

READ this small sample:

TENANT'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS 20. The tenant agrees to be responsible to the landlord for any act or omission by any person the tenant allows on the residential premises who breaks any of the terms of the agreement.

RIGHT TO ASSIGN OR SUB-LET 21. A tenant may, with the landlord's prior permission assign the whole or part of the tenant's interest under this agreement or sub-let the residential premises. 22. The landlord agrees not to charge for giving permission other than for the landlord's reasonable expenses in giving permission .

MITIGATION OF LOSS 26. The rules of law relating to mitigation of loss or damage on breach of a contract apply to a breach of this agreement. (For example, if the tenant breaches this agreement the landlord will not be able to claim damages for loss which could have been avoided by reasonable effort by the landlord.)

3. IMAGINE that you are going to rent out a flat for a year. You would normally use a standard residential tenancy agreement as a contract between you ant the new tenant. But for this activity you will need to write your own contract. Work in small groups to WRITE at least 5 terms and conditions for the contract. Use the formal language style modelled in the sample above.

4. COMPARE your answers with others in your class.

5. RESEARCH the Just the Facts - Renting section of this website. Find out as much as you can about condition reports and why it is a good idea to have a copy of one at the time you move in.

This activity can be found in the NSW Money Stuff Teacher resource book– English page 34 .

Explore additional learning activities (which include extension and revision tasks) in the print resources section under Print resources - Victoria.

Linked Learning Outcomes - NSW
Stage 6 English Preliminary (Standard)
Syllabus Outcomes
1. A student develops language relevant to the field of English.
2. A student identifies and describes language forms and features and structures of particular texts that shape meaning and influence responses.
Stage 6 English Preliminary (Fundamentals of English)
Syllabus Outcomes
1. A student recognises the ways in which changes in context require changes in form.
2. A student develops language relevant to the field of English.
3. A student responds to and composes texts for a range of purposes and audiences, in various forms, modes and media.
Stage 6 English Preliminary (English as a Second Language)
Syllabus Outcomes
1. A student develops language relevant to the study of English.
2. A student demonstrates understanding of how audience and purpose affect the language and structure of texts.

Learning Outcomes – Victoria
Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) - Discipline-based Learning
Domain: English
Dimensions: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Level 5
Students critically evaluate the spoken language of others and select, prepare and present spoken texts for specific audiences and purposes
Students read and view imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that explore ideas and information related to challenging topics, themes and issues.
Level 6
Students compare and contrast the typical features of particular texts and synthesise information from different texts to draw conclusions.
Students draw on a range of strategies to listen to and present spoken texts, including note-taking, combining spoken and visual texts, and presenting complex issues or information imaginatively to interest an audience.

Learning Outcomes - Western Australia
(English)
R 4.2 Recognises that texts are constructed for particular contexts, purposes and to appeal to certain groups.
R 4.3 Identifies and discusses how language structures and conventions work to shape readers' understandings of texts.