FAQ'S
Homeowners
Calyptus Co-living is a specialist flatmate matching service and residential property manager with deep experience in residential property investment and seniors accommodation. We partner with investment property owners who want to make a positive difference to the lives of senior Australians and benefit from the higher returns generated by the co-living concept.
No. It is rental accommodation tailored to a very specific demographic that is large and growing rapidly.
Calyptus charges a management fee of 9% (plus GST) of the gross rent, plus an initial letting fee of two weeks’ rent (plus GST).
Landlords cover all rates and utilities costs such as water and power. Because you are paying the electricity costs, it may make sense for you to install solar power. Let us know if you would like us to arrange a quote.
Calyptus pays for resident wifi and emergency call monitoring.
The co-living concept is all about providing seniors with secure, comfortable rental accommodation with like-minded flatmates, in order to reduce the prevalence of loneliness for single, retired people.
Yes. If you are interested in buying a Calyptus Co-living home we can introduce you to new house and land packages (where homes are designed for co-living) that meet your criteria for price and location. This service is free to you as Calyptus receives a small fee from the builder.
We run waiting lists of potential tenants and can recommend areas of high rental demand with tenants ready to move in.
There is a significant lack of ageing-friendly accommodation in the private rental housing sector. Seniors who rent often struggle to find secure, comfortable accommodation that provides them with security of tenure, affordability and the ability to age-in-place.
Seniors are the ideal tenants for your investment property. They are house-proud, gentle on your asset and appreciate long lease tenures. Rent is funded by the federal government through the Age Pension and Commonwealth Rent Assistance payment.
Furthermore….
- The population of seniors aged over 65 years is forecast to double by 2056.
- Around 14% of seniors currently rent, with some commentators forecasting around 50% of seniors to be renting by 2056 (source: Housing in retirement: the emerging challenge to retirement incomes policy. Grattan Institute Dec 2019).
- The number of private renters in the 54-64 age group is projected to increase by over 50 per cent to 567,000 in 2031 (source: ibid).
- For those over 65 years old, the increase is even more acute, with those renting expected to double in the same time range to 543,000 (source: ibid).
- Older women are particularly at risk due to systemic issues like the gender pay gap during their working life, longer life expectancy and generally having less super than men (source: Older female renters are the ‘canary in the coal mine’ for housing affordability ABC News Emily Stewart and Lucia Stein 28 Aug 2019).
- Older women—those aged 55 and over—was the fastest growing cohort of homeless Australians between 2011 and 2016, increasing by 31% (source: Quote – Dr Kay Patterson, Age Discrimination Commissioner, Thursday 4 April, 2019).
- There is a significant lack of ageing-friendly accommodation in the private rental housing sector. Seniors who rent often struggle to find secure, comfortable accommodation that provides them with security of tenure, affordability and the ability to age-in-place.
“The private rental market will become increasingly important in accommodating the growing number of older households. As more and more households rent into retirement, there will be an increasing need for secure, stable, affordable and appropriate housing options in the private rental sector” (source: Effective downsizing options for older Australians Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Limited Feb 2020).
We invite you to partner with us to be part of the solution.
Homes offered to tenants by Calyptus Co-living are carefully curated to ensure they are appropriate for seniors. We would be interested in speaking with you if you have an investment property that is a single-level 3-4 Bedroom home on a reasonably flat block. Duplex/Dual-key homes are ideal.
Investment property owners should be open to long-term leases.
Older properties may require some remedial works or refurbishment. Calyptus can arrange a scope of works and then manage tenders and the build process through a trusted third-party project manager.
Additional costs to the investor would be a furniture package ($7-10k per home) and solar (optional, but encouraged).
You can engage Calyptus to manage your investment property through a normal property management agreement.
For an existing home it is likely that there would be some level of construction or renovation work required to make the home appropriate for co-living. The co-living concept requires every bedroom to have a private bathroom. This can usually be retrofitted. Other features include, for example, a handrail on the wall next to the toilet.
Calyptus will scope and project-manage any work required on your behalf.
Calyptus acts as your investment property manager and will find and manage your tenants through our flatmate matching service, as well as manage maintenance and repairs as required.
Calyptus can also introduce you to new house and land packages where the homes are specially designed for co-living.
Seniors prefer stable housing and seek long lease tenures. We encourage our property owners to commit to at least a ten-year investment.
If you do need to exit your investment we can introduce the property to our waitlist of interested buyers.
Single rooms with private bathrooms typically rent for $220-280 per week, equating to a gross weekly rent return of:
- 3 bedrooms – $660-840 p/week
- 4 bedrooms – $880-1,120 p/week
The amount of rent charged per room fluctuates depending on the size of the room, the size and condition of the house, location , etc.
We use standard residential lease agreements.
Residents
Your rent does not cover any home cleaning services or garden/yard maintenance. We do not include these components because many of our residents are eligible for government-funded services that cover this kind of work, as well as many other services such as personal care and meal preparation. We can assist you in accessing these services.
Yes. We require all incoming residents to agree and sign the Calyptus Co-living Residents Charter that commits housemates to respecting each others privacy.
You may not smoke inside our homes. You may only smoke outside.
We will only enter the home to conduct maintenance and repair work, or for scheduled inspections. You will receive notification of any entry intentions in advance, in accordance with the state residential tenancies legislation.
It is the responsibility of the tenants to maintain the gardens. If you are unable to do so, we can arrange a gardening and mowing service at an additional cost to you. Alternatively, we can assist you to obtain a government-funded service to maintain your yard.
Calyptus organises repairs and maintenance on behalf of the property owner.
Residents are responsible for the fortnightly rental payment and any additional services they engage such as telephone or cable TV. Residents pay to insure their own personal contents.
Calyptus pays for wifi internet and emergency call monitoring.
The landlord covers all rates, taxes, insurance, power and water.
Residents are responsible for the maintenance of gardens and grounds. Calyptus will assist residents in sourcing Government funding if needed to help with this function.
Co-living is a new style of housing that provides residents with convenient living and the option of socialising with housemates in generous, furnished spaces. Homes are designed to feature a collaborative “community” culture where residents share similar interests and values and look out for each other.
Our co-living residents occupy a room in a share house under a standard residential tenancies lease. All residents have their own bedroom, bathroom and wardrobe. Kitchen, living and dining areas in the home are shared spaces where you can enjoy social time with your housemates.
Rooms are varying sizes and depend on the home.
Bedroom furniture is not included – you will need your own bed, bedside table and drawers. All shared space furniture and appliances are provided.
We screen all applicants and try to match housemates with similar interests. Where possible we will try to arrange a meet and greet with your potential housemates before you make a decision.
Calyptus provides a flatmate screening matching service to try and create the ideal household. All potential residents are screened and interviewed to ensure they understand the concepts behind community co-living and fit the culture.
Alternatively, we encourage interested potential residents to team up with their friends to create their own households. If you have a collection of your friends ready to go into a Calyptus Co-living home, then get in touch with us today with your preferred location so we can source the ideal property for you.
For your bedroom – yes. We will try to accommodate any other special pieces that you may wish to bring.
Calyptus provides each home with a generic set of house rules for the efficient running of the house. Residents are encouraged to agree and add their own house rules.
Calyptus co-living is specially designed for seniors looking for affordable, appropriate rental accommodation in a shared environment with like-minded people.
If you are tired of living alone in your house, co-living can provide you with easy social interaction when you want it, as well as the security of knowing you are all looking out for each other.
We like to sign our residents on to a fixed-term lease, typically a short initial period (three months) to make sure the co-living home is working for all stakeholders. Following the initial three-moth period, we will execute a longer-term lease with residents.
It is not unusual for disagreements to occur in community living environments. If you have a dispute with a housemate we encourage you to try and solve it between yourselves.
We use standard residential tenancy leases.
Please register for our waiting list and note where you would like to live. We are constantly sourcing new properties and will notify you as soon as we have one available in your area.
We maintain waiting lists of people seeking co-living accommodation. When one of your housemates leaves, we will work with the remaining tenants to find a suitable replacement.
Not necessarily. We encourage our residents to maintain active lifestyles.
Some of our properties allow pets. We know the importance of pets to your health and wellbeing and we try to source properties that accept pets. If you do want to have a pet you may be required to pay for an annual pest spray.
Your fortnightly rental payment covers electricity and water usage, wifi and emergency call monitoring. Any additional services that you connect such as cable or streaming TV must be paid for by you.
Yes. We require a bond amount equivalent to four weeks rent. We do accept State Bond Grants or Bond Loans.
Rent is paid fortnightly, two weeks in advance.