Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to manage property in rural environments. It includes identifying owner requirements, planning the provision of property management services, delivering property management proposals, recording management agreements, establishing key registers, implementing management agreements, monitoring and reporting to owners and planning tenancy or lease renewals.

The unit may form part of the licensing requirements for persons engaged in stock and station agency activities in those States and Territories where these are regulated activities.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports the work of licensed stock and station agents and stock and station representatives or certificate holders involved in managing rural property.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit of competency is packaged, will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised  text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge and/or the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Establish owner requirements .

1.1 Appointment is made with owner to discuss property management services in line with agency practice.

1.2 Appropriate rapport  is established with owner or lessor.

1.3 Owner or lessor requirements  regarding property  are clarified and accurately assessed using appropriate interpersonal communication techniques .

1.4 Extent of services  to be offered and risks  to be covered are framed after consultation with owner.

1.5 Respective obligations of owner or lessor and agency are determined and agreed with owner in line with agency practice and legislative requirements .

2 Establish rural property management agreement .

2.1 Owner or lessor is advised on market influences likely to affect property  in line with agency practice.

2.2 Property management services are discussed and agreed with owner in line with agency practice.

2.3 Agency fees, property management budgeting and reporting arrangements are discussed and agreed with owner in line with agency practice.

2.4 Agreed instructions are documented in line with agency practice and legislative requirements.

3 Establish key register .

3.1 Key register  system is established, administered and maintained in line with agency practice.

3.2 Security of register and keys is maintained in line with agency practice.

4 Implement rural property management agreement .

4.1 Internal and external systems  are established in line with agency practice and management agreement.

4.2 Necessary agency staff and external contractors  are identified and accessed in line with management agreement and agency practice.

4.3 Trust accounts are established and operated in line with management agreement, legislative requirements and agency practice.

4.4 Required reports on trust accounts are prepared and audited in line with management agreement, legislative requirements and agency practice.

4.5 Risk management strategies , including insurance, are implemented in line with management agreement, legislative requirements and agency practice.

4.6 Property security measures  are implemented in line with management agreement, legislative requirements and agency practice.

4.7 Inspections are conducted in line with management agreement, legislative requirements and agency practice.

4.8 Property maintenance schedules are implemented in line with management agreement, legislative requirements and agency practice.

5 Monitor and report to owners on rural property management agreement .

5.1 Properties are monitored on a regular basis in line with management agreement, legislative requirements and agency practice.

5.2 Corrective action  in relation to problems with property revealed through monitoring of property is taken within the constraints of property management agreement, legislative requirements and agency practice.

5.3 Communication with owners or lessors and tenants or lessees is maintained in line with management agreement, legislative requirements and agency practice.

5.4 Disputes involving owners or lessors and tenants or lessees are managed in line with management agreement, legislative requirements and agency practice.

5.5 Reports are prepared for owners in line with property management agreement and agency practice.

6 Manage renewal of rural property tenancy agreements and leases .

6.1 Agency renewal patterns for tenancy agreements and leases  are assessed and strategies developed to maximise benefits for agency and owners or lessors.

6.2 Tenancy agreement and lease expiries are scheduled  to ensure renewals are obtained prior to expiry dates.

6.3 Property is inspected and an accurate report is produced on property condition and maintenance requirements in line with legislative requirements and agency practice.

6.4 Property condition reports and rental details are provided to tenants or lessees prior to renewal of tenancy agreement or lease.

6.5 Conditions of tenancy agreement or lease renewal are negotiated and agreed with all parties .

6.6 Tenancy agreement or lease renewal documentation is prepared and provided to tenant or lessee and finalised in line with legislative requirements and agency practice.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required skills :

• ability to communicate with and relate to people from a range of social, economic and cultural backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities
• analytical skills to interpret documents such as legislation, regulations, leases and contracts with subcontractors
• application of risk management strategies associated with advising owners on rural property management services
• computing skills to access agency databases, send and receive emails and complete standard forms online
• decision making and problem solving skills to analyse situations and make decisions consistent with legislative and ethical requirements
• literacy skills to access and interpret a variety of texts, including legislation, regulations and property management agreements; prepare general information, papers, formal and informal letters, advertising, reports and applications; and complete standard and statutory forms
• negotiation skills to assist in establishing and agreeing terms of property management agreements with owners
• numeracy skills to calculate and interpret data, such as agency fees for the provision of rural property management services
• planning, organising and scheduling skills to undertake work-related tasks such as inspecting properties
• research skills to identify and source documents and information relating to rural property management.

Required knowledge and understanding :

• access to tenanted retail properties
• consumer protection legislation, including:

• consumer protection principles relevant to lease or tenancy agreements
• effect of consumer protection legislation on contracts
• penalties and remedies available for breaches of consumer protection legislation
• protection offered to consumers under consumer protection legislation in relation to lease or tenancy agreements
• purpose
• rights and obligations of agents under consumer protection legislation in relation to lease of rural property

• contracts
• ethical practices associated with lease or tenancy agreements
• insurance for managed properties
• inspection methods for different types of rural property
• key register
• property knowledge, including:

• cropping properties: yields, seasons, types of crops, soils, facilities such as grain storage and transport, diseases and rotational cropping
• dairies: quotas, breeds, lactation, dairy layout and equipment and conversion factors, such as dairy set up, herd, access and distance to market
• general: local market conditions, trends in sector and industry, land titles, geophysical and topographical characteristics, carrying capacity and local land characteristics
• grazing properties: dry sheep equivalent (DSE)/carrying capacity, pastures, soil types and breeds
• irrigated properties: water licence availability, soil types, topography, and types of reticulation, such as flood, drip, direct or row cropping
• water

• property inspection, including:

• agency documentation
• benefits
• conducting and following up property inspections
• key control
• planning for property inspection
• security of managed properties

• property repairs and maintenance, including:

• property maintenance methods
• property maintenance plan and schedule
• property maintenance requirements
• property safety and security requirements
• register of tradespeople and service providers
• relevant building services, trades and operation for maintenance operations
• reporting to owners on repairs and maintenance
• risks and management strategies associated with property maintenance
• selection of tradespeople and service providers
• systems for implementing property maintenance requirements
• tendering procedures

• relevant federal and state or territory legislation and local government regulations related to:

• animal health
• anti-discrimination
• aquaculture
• consumer protection
• crown land
• environmental issues
• equal employment opportunity (EEO)
• financial probity
• franchises and business structure
• industrial relations
• livestock
• native title
• OHS
• pastoral leases
• privacy
• rural property leasing and management

• taxation
• water rights

• renewal of tenancy agreements and leases, including:

• benefits of tenancy renewal
• renewal strategies relevant to different types of property, such as residential, commercial, industrial and rural
• scheduling tenancy renewals
• strategies for gaining tenancy renewals
• tenancy lease and renewal patterns

• rent or lease payments
• rights and duties of tenants, lessees, owners and lessors
• risk and risk management strategies for rural properties
• tenancy agreements and leases, including:

• condition reports and disclosure statements
• fixed and periodic
• format of agreements
• key features of the different types of tenancy agreements and leases
• legal obligations of agent, owner and tenant or lessee
• limitations associated with rejecting an application from a prospective tenant or lessee
• rents, security deposits and bond moneys
• statutory and agency documentation
• types of tenancy agreements and leases in regard to rural property, including residential, retail, holiday, industrial or commercial, and water

• trust accounting and bookkeeping.

Overview of assessment 

This unit of competency could be assessed through practical demonstration of providing property management services for a rural property. Targeted written (including alternative formats where necessary) or verbal questioning to assess the candidate's underpinning knowledge would provide additional supporting evidence of competence. The demonstration and questioning would include collecting evidence of the candidate's knowledge and application of ethical standards and relevant federal, and state or territory legislation and regulations. This assessment may be carried out in a simulated or workplace environment.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of:

• completing standard and statutory documentation associated with the management of rural properties
• establishing and managing a key register
• implementing property management agreements in line with owner or lessor instructions, agency practice and legislative requirements
• knowledge and application of security and risk management practices associated with the management of rural properties
• knowledge of agency practice, ethical standards and legislative requirements affecting the management of rural properties
• knowledge of consumer protection principles that affect the management of rural properties
• maintaining business records associated with the maintenance and management of rural properties
• maintaining communication with owners or lessors, tenants or lessees, agency staff and contractors throughout the property management process
• managing the renewal of tenancy agreements and leases for rural property in line with agency practice, legislative requirements and owner or lessor instructions
• monitoring and reporting to owners or lessors on property management agreements
• negotiating property management agreements with owners or lessors in line with agency practice and legislative requirements.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Resource implications for assessment include:

• access to a registered provider of assessment services
• access to suitable simulated or real opportunities and resources to demonstrate competence
• assessment instruments that may include personal planner and assessment record book.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence require that:

• competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace
• where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice with a decision of competence only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's competence
• all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence
• where assessment is for the purpose of recognition (RCC/RPL), the evidence provided will need to be current and show that it represents competency demonstrated over a period of time
• assessment can be through simulated project-based activity and must include evidence relating to each of the elements in this unit.

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. Questioning will be undertaken in such a manner as is appropriate to the language and literacy levels of the candidate and any cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and will reflect the requirements of the competency and the work being performed.

Appropriate rapport  relates to use of techniques that:

• establish and build confidence and trust in the agency and its representatives
• make the client feel valued
• promote and maintain an effective relationship with client.

Owner or lessor requirements  may include:

• lease conditions
• lease payments and rent expectations
• purpose of listing property for lease, including:

• business reasons
• deceased estate
• investment
• relocation
• replacing or upgrading existing property

• timeframe for lease.

Property  may include:

• acreage
• commercial
• farm, including:

• aquaculture
• cropping
• dairy
• grazing
• horticulture
• mixed uses
• olive
• orchard
• trees
• viticulture

• hobby farms
• residential
• water.

Interpersonal communication techniques  may include:

• active listening
• providing an opportunity for the client to clarify their understanding of the process
• soft questioning and seeking feedback from clients to confirm own understanding of their needs and expectations
• summarising and paraphrasing to check understanding of client message
• using appropriate body language.

Extent of services  may include:

• communication with tenants or lessees
• dispute resolution
• keys
• lease or tenancy agreement renewals and terminations
• payment of accounts, including local government rates and contractors
• property condition reports
• property inspections
• property marketing
• property repairs and maintenance
• property security
• rent or lease payment arrears and bad debts
• rent or lease payment collection.

Risks  may relate to:

• administrative and business systems risks
• consumer protection risks
• financial risks
• OHS
• livestock risks
• public liability risks
• risk of physical damage to managed property
• risks associated with actions of individuals
• risks associated with natural events and hazards
• risks to rental income
• safety risks
• security risks
• water quality and quantity risks.

Legislative requirements  may include:

• relevant federal and state or territory legislation and local government regulations related to:

• animal health
• anti-discrimination
• aquaculture
• consumer protection
• crown land
• environmental issues
• equal employment opportunity (EEO)
• financial probity
• franchises and business structure
• industrial relations
• livestock
• native title
• OHS
• pastoral leases
• privacy
• rural property leasing and management
• taxation
• water rights.

Market influences likely to affect property  may include:

• availability of comparable properties
• banking
• climatic
• economic
• financial
• historical
• interest rates
• investment trends
• overseas trends
• political
• seasonal factors
• taxation.

Key register  may refer to:

• access to keys
• coding of keys
• entry of key in register
• non-return of keys
• records
• security and storage procedures.

Internal and external systems  may include:

• accounting
• agistment of livestock
• bad debt collection
• cleaning
• communication and reporting
• dispute resolution
• fencing
• gardening
• insurance
• lease renewal and termination
• pest maintenance
• property inspection
• purchasing and procurement
• rent or lease payment collection
• repairs and maintenance
• risk management
• security.

External contractors  may include:

• air conditioning and mechanical services technicians
• builders
• cleaners
• dam construction contractors
• earthmoving contractors
• electricians
• farm contractors
• farm equipment repairs and service contractors
• farm plant repairs and servicing contractors
• fencing contractors
• gardeners
• grass slashing contractors
• harvest contractors
• painters and plasterers
• pest exterminators
• picking and packing contractors
• plant and equipment technicians
• plumbers
• swimming pool technicians
• tilers
• transport and haulage contractors
• veterinary services
• water carriers
• water quality technicians
• water storage technicians.

Risk management strategies  may include:

• avoid the risk - make decision not to become involved in a risk situation
• finance the risk - fund risk treatment and the financial consequences of risk
• reduce the risk - apply appropriate techniques and management principles to reduce the likelihood of an occurrence and its consequences
• retain the risk - intentionally or unintentionally retain responsibility for loss or financial burden of loss
• transfer the risk - shift responsibility or burden for loss to another party through contract, insurance or other means.

Property security measures  may include:

• measures to address risks associated with things such as:

• conflict between members of public
• persons with criminal intent
• riots
• security breaches
• theft
• unauthorised access
• violence and physical threat

• measures to address risks associated with property, such as:

• bomb threats
• break in
• contamination of water
• deliberate or accidental damage
• destruction of property
• fire
• livestock
• loss or destruction of records
• natural disaster
• vandalism
• water quality and quantity.

Corrective action  may be:

• financial
• material
• procedural.

Agency renewal patterns for tenancy agreements and leases  may include:

• duration of tenancy agreements and leases
• frequency
• number
• proportion of leases and tenancy agreements renewed

• reasons for renewal and non-renewal of lease or tenancy agreements
• relationship with key events, such as start of school or university year, holiday seasons and start of financial year
• levels of rent in renewed leases and tenancy agreements
• timing of renewals.

Tenancy agreement and lease expiries are scheduled  may refer to:

• expiry date of lease
• owner or lessor plans
• tenant or lessee plans.

Parties  may include:

• agency principals
• licensed stock and station agents
• owners and lessors
• legal representatives and other assisting professionals
• property managers
• stock and station representatives or certificate holders
• tenants and lessees.

Unit sector 

Property development, sales and management

Competency field 

Stock and station agency