My Interview with Nett Mag!

Here is the interview for the article about Ziggie in Nett magazine. I thought, maybe your interested in it. Have a fantastic weekend. See you!

Mackay-based Clare McFadyen wanted a website that listed shared accommodation for regional centres and couldn't find one - so she built her own. Our panel gives her some ideas to build up buzz and momentum.

Up for a challenge? Try finding shared accommodation for a 20-something in a regional centre or country town. Clare McFadyen got tired of the struggle, so she decided to launch ziggie.com.au, a shared accommodation directory that covers the whole of Australia, not just Sydney and Melbourne.

"I usually advertise through the local newspaper, but it's quite expensive and there's no guarantee you'll get a response," she says.

"I found that the major websites really didn't have any ads for regional centres like Mackay in Queensland, where I live. So I wanted to start a website that I wished existed."

After three years of research, preparation and building the site, Clare is ready to launch. "It took me a long time because I was working full-time and just doing it on the weekends," she says.

Clare needs to get a critical mass of people visiting and advertising on the site so all her hard work and research can start paying off. She needs a hook to get people in - and our expert panel has just the thing....

Read the rest here.

Ziggie in Nett Mag!

This is my first published article in print and I'm so excited. Many thanks to Josh Mehlman, Zoe Freeman, Jonathan Crossfield and the Nett team for all the fantastic advice! The magazine is on sale now! You can read the full article here.

Q & A: If I rent a property who pays for the insurance?

The owner of the property is responsible for paying the rates and for insuring the property. That is, insurance for the physical building and not for your personal belongings.

If you want protection for your personal belongings you will need to take out "Contents Insurance." This will cover the cost of your personal belongings if they are stolen or damaged.

ANU launches shipping container student housing facility - Canberra

HOME SWEET HOME!

"A housing facility made out of pre-fabricated shipping containers and designed to accommodate 3,700 students will be launched at the Australian National University in Canberra today."

Did we read that correctly? Yup shipping containers = student accommodation. Go ANU! Can't wait to see the electricity bill for the air-con!

That's it! Sounds like we have some serious competition! :)

Source: Look Forward

Q & A: I am moving into an existing share house and my new flatmate has asked for a bond. How can I make sure that I get this back?

As this is an existing share house your new flatmates would have already paid the bond when they moved into the property. In this situation flatmates pass bond money between themselves for any new tenants coming in and going out.

You will need to fill out a Change of Shared Bond Arrangement form (this form may be called something different in your state) and this is to be lodged with your State Authority (i.e. in Queensland it is the Residential Tenancies Authority). Usually your real estate agent will do this on your behalf. Be sure to keep a photocopy of this form for your own records.

If you choose to move, and your flatmate stays, you will have to fill out another one of these forms and get your flatmate to refund your bond or lodge a Refund of Rental Bond form (depending on your state this called something different). Bond money does not usually get refunded until the tenancy has ended. So if you are the only tenant moving out, usually you will be refunded your share of the bond by the other tenants, or by the new tenant moving in. For more information contact your real estate agent.

Peaches jets ex-flatmate to Big Apple

Even celebrities have flatmates! Homesick Peaches has taken the drastic step of flying one of her ex-flatmates to America to stay with her.


Earlier this year Peaches made the move to New York, but is finding it hard to cope without her close friends. As a result, Peaches has flown her former flatmate and good friend Lily over to keep her company.

Jealous! Us!

See full story at: London Evening Standard

Would you be Peaches flatmate for a free trip to the Big Apple?

Q & A: How much bond can I be charged?

If your rent is $500 a week or less (that would be most of us), the maximum bond you can be charged is equal to four weeks rent. So if your rent is $100 per week the maximum bond you can be charged is $400. Alternatively if your rent is more than $500 per week (for all those money bags out there!) there is no limit.

Please Note: this is information is for Queensland only and laws may vary from state to state.