How often can you increase the rent?

Rent cannot be increased at intervals of less than 12 months. Landlords must give tenants at least eight weeks’ written notice of a rent increase. In a fixed-term lease, the increase date must be outside the term dates.

How will you find the perfect tenant/s for my property?

Our leasing consultant will meet all potential tenants when conducting open homes for the property. Our leasing team will then closely assess whether the property will be a right fit for those who have applied for the property. Once the applications have been processed and the references have been called for each, we take all applications to the owner, who will decide which applicant to approve of living at the property.

How many routines can be conducted yearly?

A landlord is allowed to inspect a property twice every 12 months. The landlord can also conduct an inspection within the first month of the tenancy and within the last month.

What maintenance is the tenant responsible for, and what is the landlord responsible for?

If there is a noticeable impact or damage that has occurred during a tenancy, it usually falls under the tenant. General upkeep, such as a globe, also falls under the tenant. If the damage falls under general wear and tears due to ageing, this will fall under an owner to repair. However, maintenance can always be a grey area, so it is best to ask your property manager first.

How much notice must a tenant provide if they are on a periodic tenancy?

A periodic lease is a month to month. In the ACT, tenants are only required to give 21 days’ notice in writing.

What is the process if my tenant requests to keep a pet at the property?

If the tenant requests to keep a pet at the property, they must write to the lessor to ask for consent. If the lessor refuses to consent, they will be required to apply to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal for approval.

Two REIACT wins, one purpose

Posted in Insights August 28th 2025

Property Manager of the Year: Ben McDowell & REIACT Innovation Award

Winning awards is a moment. But creating something that earns it — that’s what matters. At Hayman Partners, we’re proud to have taken home two major honours at the 2025 REIACT Awards for Excellence, but what matters most is why we won.

This isn’t about a shiny trophy. It’s about a culture that values systems, clarity, and better outcomes over hype. It’s about backing ideas that make the client experience sharper, smoother, and smarter — not someday, but now.

Award 1: Innovation that actually changes things

Let’s talk about the H-signboard.

It’s not just a signboard. It’s a full rethink of how real estate interacts with the street. Traditional signage creates waste, costs time, and slows down your campaign when momentum matters most. So, we built our own.

The H-board is modular and reusable. The structure stays, and only a slim, property-specific insert with a QR code is swapped per campaign. That small shift slashed vinyl use from around 4.5 m² to just 1.56 m² — about a 65% reduction in waste. But it’s not just eco. It’s faster to deploy, sharper to look at, and more effective in the crucial first days of a campaign.

Designed in-house, tested with our install partners, and rolled out across Canberra, it’s now powering nearly every campaign we run.

Why it matters:

Speed: We can now install before photography — early momentum, more eyeballs, faster response.
Sustainability: Less waste in landfill, full reuse of the core frame.
Scalability: 80+ boards now live at any one time across the city, already making impact.
Experience: Clients love it, neighbours notice it, even competitors ask about it.

This is innovation that removes friction. It’s not a gimmick — it’s useful, measurable, and built for the real world.

Award 2: A Property Manager who wins trust by doing the work, every day

Ben McDowell doesn’t chase praise. He chases better results for landlords and tenants, one quiet, precise action at a time. His Property Manager of the Year award isn’t about flash. It’s about follow-through. The kind you can rely on.

Ben manages a portfolio of 179 properties across ACT and NSW, based remotely in Wagga Wagga. That’s right — remote. But you wouldn’t know it. His systems are airtight. His communication is clear. And his clients? Fiercely loyal.

By the numbers:

0% vacancy and 0% tenants in arrears at time of submission.
81 tenancies turned over, 84 rent reviews completed.
28 new managements (10 from direct referral).
Net Promoter Score of 62.3 from 69 responses — that’s elite service, proven.
Averaging a 6.8% management fee on properties.

But it’s not just stats. It’s stories.

A damaged garden at Oldham Court, resolved without going to ACAT — $8,452.38 recovered in full through calm, fair negotiation.

A Gungahlin listing turned around in four business days to support a fast sale — trades lined up and handled like emergency repairs.

A bond claim and re-listing executed seamlessly on Sisely Street, with carpets replaced and the property re-leased within two weeks.

Ben does not leave things to chance. He documents thoroughly, acts early, and leads with care. Remote doesn’t mean reactive. It means structured, disciplined, and strategic. That’s why he wins. That’s why clients stay.

The common thread: Do what matters, build what works

Both awards point to one thing — a team that values action over appearance.

The H-board exists because we weren’t happy with how long signage took, how much waste it created, and how it limited exposure early on. Ben’s win reflects a system that removes guesswork, limits risk, and gives property owners one less thing to worry about.

At Hayman Partners, we measure what matters:

Did it make the experience better for the client?
Did it reduce waste, time, or stress?
Can it scale? Can we repeat it?

If yes, we back it.

To our clients, thank you.

Your trust gives us room to innovate. Your feedback keeps us sharp. And your expectations are exactly why we keep raising our standard.

To the Hayman team — from install crews to reception to compliance — these wins belong to you.

And to Ben: thanks for showing us what next-level property management really looks like.

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Two REIACT wins, one purpose

Award 1: Innovation that actually changes things

Why it matters:

Award 2: A Property Manager who wins trust by doing the work, every day

By the numbers:

The common thread: Do what matters, build what works

To our clients, thank you.

The right partner makes all the difference.

The right partner makes all the difference.

Two REIACT wins, one purpose

Award 1: Innovation that actually changes things

Why it matters:

Award 2: A Property Manager who wins trust by doing the work, every day

By the numbers:

The common thread: Do what matters, build what works

To our clients, thank you.

The right partner makes all the difference.

The right partner makes all the difference.

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