Claiming Depreciation and expenses on Rental Property

So if the house if built before 1987 / over 40 years old and has not had any renovations/capital improvement etc done there's not really anything to depreciate anymore?

Not sure. The council doesn't seem to have it on record either.

 

Depends....You may not see enhancements that a QS sees. Capital improvements etc. eg a newer paved driveway, roof retiled, cladding etc No all improvements are council reported.

When buying a property its worth asking the REA about any past reno's etc. If its a issue then asking at the time of purchase may also help

 

Pretty much, except that forty years ago was 1979 and definitely ineligible. I think you're confusing the "40 years old" rule because it's only applicable to properties built after 1987. I.e., it will be 2028 before anyone can say, "My house is forty years old, so I can't claim depreciation."

Perhaps photography will help, though it can be hard to guess from that. But yes, if the council can't help then it's usually up to the QS to estimate ...

... which is far, far easier to do with a visit to the property. We wouldn't do one like this without an inspection. There are only a couple of scenarios in which we wouldn't go to the property. Skipping an inspection increases the possibility that things get missed.