Housing and family

Before you leave you need to organize your final inspection, return all keys and find out about arrangements for having your bond refunded. Making sure everything is clean, tidy and in good repair will also help with the return of your bond money.

• check your lease or periodic tenancy agreement to find out how much notice you need to give
• let your landlord know when you will be moving out
• find your copy of the condition check list or the inspection sheet you completed when you first rented
• prepare for and arrange a final inspection and return of keys
• if you have a household contents insurance policy, remember to cancel it

More detailed information is available by visiting Tenancies (South Australia).

If everyone is leaving your house, read information on ending your agreement and download, complete and lodge a Bond refund form to claim your bond. You will need your Security Bond number. Bond refunds are either paid by cheque or electronic funds transfer into your Australian bank account. They will be paid to the person named on the bond. If you are a co-tenant and some of your housemates are staying in the property, complete and lodge a change of tenant form.

If you still have time left on your mobile phone or internet contract, contact your provider and find out how much you need to pay to break your contract or arrange to continue payments for the rest of the contract.

For other utilities such as electricity, gas and water bills:

• contact your suppliers at least a week before departure and let them know you will be leaving
• arrange final meter reading, disconnection of services and payment of your final bill

Disconnect landline telephone (if applicable):

• contact your provider at least a week before departure to arrange disconnection. You can arrange for the final account to be sent to your home country address if necessary

There are a few options for getting rid of unwanted items in good conditions, such as furniture, clothes, kitchen items and electrical goods:

Selling

• If you have time, arrange a garage sale to sell your unwanted goods
• for a small fee you can advertise items to sell in the local paper, The Advertiser (call 131 113 to arrange)
• the Trading Post or Gumtree are other online ways to sell goods
• you can sell your things at Trash and Treasure markets at Adelaide

Donating

Items like furniture, clothes, kitchen items are gratefully accepted by charities. Contact the Salvation Army on 8377 0001 or the St Vincent De Paul Society on 8231 2250 to find out how to donate items you no longer want.

Dumping

If you have furniture and electrical goods you cannot give away or sell, check with your local council for dates of hard rubbish collections, or arrange to take them to a rubbish dump.

• If you, or members of your family, have received treatment for an ongoing medical or dental condition, ask your doctor or dentist for a letter to take home
• if you had any X-rays taken, consider taking these home with you
• if you are taking prescription medication that you were not taking before you arrived in Australia, check to make sure it is okay to bring the medication back to your country.

You should arrange for your mail to be redirected to your home address, for more information see the Australia Post mail redirection service.

• Inform the school and class room teacher that your child /children will be leaving. Ask the class room teacher for a report to take home
• make sure library books and equipment are returned
• let the Director or other staff know at least a week in advance when your child will be leaving the childcare centre.