- Current householdName the people applying and distinguish them from other proposed occupants. Follow any separate steps required for each applicant.
- Comparable income figuresLabel person, currency, period and gross or net. Avoid presenting business turnover as personal income.
- Honest residential datesDescribe living with family, student accommodation or overseas housing accurately. Do not invent a rental ledger.
- Appropriate referenceDescribe how the person knows you and ask before sharing their contact details. Their relationship matters more than a flattering label.
- Consistent versionCheck the exported file against the form. Updating a draft does not change a PDF already sent.
- Recipient's channelUse the form, platform and file format requested for this property. A resume remains supporting context.
Rental resume Australia: a clear introduction, in your own words
A rental resume, also called a tenant resume or rental CV, is a short summary of your household, work, income context and residential history. Use it to introduce the person behind the required application. The filled template and About Me examples below show how to give useful context without inventing credentials or sending unnecessary personal information.
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Who this is for
Rental resume, cover letter or Rental Passport?
A resume is the concise introduction. A cover letter adds a short reason for applying for a particular property. A Rental Passport brings the wider personal profile together, including household, income, history and references. These labels describe how you present information; they do not establish an accepted form, an identity check or a completed application.
Start with the recipient's instructions. Ask whether a supporting summary is useful and where it can be supplied. Keep the resume separate from identity copies and financial originals. A concise introduction can explain your circumstances without repeating account numbers, a full birth date or a referee's private contact details.
Use the same underlying facts across the resume, required form and supporting profile. If your work started recently, distinguish a confirmed start date from income already received. If you have lived with family, say that rather than turning it into a previous tenancy. Clear labels let the reader see the limits of each statement.
The pack
A filled fictional rental resume template
- Illustrative only — Olivia Chen is a fictional applicant. Replace every detail with your own accurate information; this is a writing example, not evidence.
- Household: Olivia and one partner would live at the property. Proposed move-in: 1 November, subject to the tenancy arrangements.
- About Me: I work as a graphic designer and am looking for a home near public transport. My partner and I are applying together and can explain our individual employment and income in the required form.
- Employment and income context: salaried designer since March 2024. State the actual pay period and whether any figure is gross or net; supply suitable evidence through the requested channel.
- Residential history: a private tenancy from April 2023 to the present. Use accurate dates and identify the property manager's role; share contact details only after checking with the person.
- Property-specific note: the transport connections suit our commutes. References and requested supporting information can be supplied through the accepted application process.
What to prepare
Document checklist
The output
Your agency-ready RentFiles pack
RentFilesRental application packPDF
- Current household
- Comparable income figures
- Honest residential dates
- Appropriate reference
- Consistent version
- Recipient's channel
Everything an agent needs in one labelled PDF, in the order they read it — so they can verify your application in minutes instead of chasing attachments. You fill it for free and export only when you are ready.
- One file, not a folder of emails
- Labelled sections an agent can scan
- Consistent details across every document
Three About Me examples to adapt
Illustrative scenarioIllustrative only. First-time renter: “I currently live with family and am applying for my first independent tenancy. I work in hospitality and can discuss appropriate income evidence and an alternative referee.” This states the gap without inventing a landlord. Couple: “We are applying together and would both live at the property. Our work and income are listed separately; the location suits our commutes.” This separates the household from each person's records. Self-employed renter: “I work as a freelance designer. My income varies by month, so I have labelled the periods and separated business receipts from personal income.” This explains the variation without predicting future earnings. Keep only the example that fits your circumstances and replace its facts.
Tenant resume mistakes to avoid
- Copying fictional details or describing yourself as verified because you have written a profile
- Including sensitive identity or banking details in the introduction rather than the appropriate requested channel
- Using a monthly income total without explaining the period, currency or whose income it is
- Presenting a personal referee as a previous property manager
- Reusing an old PDF after your household, employment or contact details have changed
Frequently asked questions
Is a rental resume required in Australia?
Check the instructions and rules for the property. A resume is supporting context and does not replace the required form or platform. Ask where an optional summary is accepted before attaching it.
How long should my rental resume be?
Aim for a concise summary rather than an archive of documents. One page is a useful writing target, not a national application rule. Move detailed evidence to the permitted supporting-document channel.
What should I write in About Me?
Explain who would live at the property, your current circumstances and one relevant reason it suits you. Use specific, true facts instead of claims such as perfect tenant or the best applicant.
Can I write a resume with no rental history?
Yes. State your actual living arrangements and the dates. Ask the recipient what alternative context or reference is suitable; do not invent a tenancy, payment record or previous agent.
How is a resume different from a Rental Passport?
The resume is the short introduction. A Rental Passport presents the wider household, income, history and reference context in a reusable profile. Neither term means that checks have been completed or an application submitted.
Can I review my RentFiles profile before paying?
You can fill and review the application before choosing a PDF export. The current one-time PDF export is A$29. The profile complements the recipient's process; it does not submit the application for you.
Should I include my identity documents in the resume?
Keep the summary focused on relevant context. Supply identity information through the appropriate requested process, with the applicable state rules in mind, rather than embedding document numbers in your About Me paragraph.
Can I reuse the resume?
Reuse an accurate base, then check the property, dates, household and contact details each time. An exported PDF is a snapshot: editing the draft does not update a copy already downloaded or emailed.
Explain your situation
- Plan your first application
- Apply together as a couple
- Introduce a family household
- Explain casual work
- Present self-employed work
- Explain no rental history
- Apply as an international student
- Build a pet introduction
- Applying for a rental with a guarantor
- Share house rental application checklist
- Rental application with limited references
- Rental application when starting a new job
- Rental application as a new apprentice
- Apply with pension income
- Explain base pay and commission
- Show two casual jobs
- Explain a return from parental leave
- Show wages and Rent Assistance separately
- Map two different pay cycles
- Apply during employment probation
- Explain a recent promotion
- Explain a research scholarship
- Describe a seasonal trading cycle
- Moving with a remote job: your rental application
- Locum rental application: explain your work sites
- Contractor rental application: terms and payments
- Freelancer rental application: project payment dates
- Rental Applications After Finishing Study
- Rental Applications After a Career Break
- Reusing a Joint Rental File as One Adult
Related renter resources
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