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Thursday, October 18, 2018

Peter Lewis: What landlords need to know about meth contamination

There has been a lot of confusion and debate about acceptable standards of methamphetamine contamination in rental housing. When the problem first surfaced, it was generally held that any level of meth in a property was a breach of the landlord’s requirement to provide a clean and safe house at the start of the tenancy. Several Tenancy Tribunal rulings at that time imposed large ... read more

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Peter Lewis: Important information for all landlords

There are two pieces of legislation currently under consultation which will dramatically affect all residential landlords. These are the proposed amendments to the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) and the Health Homes Guarantee Act. Just some of the suggestions from tenancy advocates that could be made to the RTA include: removal of any ability for a landlord to terminate under a... read more

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Read this before you buy your first property

Buying your first ever property, be it a home or a rental, is as exciting as it is intimidating. Chances are this is the biggest financial commitment you've ever had to make. Feeling anxious is part of the process but that doesn't mean your nerves should get to you. Before you dive into the world of property, familiarise yourself with these commonly used terms courtesy of our good fri... read more

Monday, March 19, 2018

Peter Lewis: Progress on The Methamphetamine Contamination Issue

After considerable discussion and input from a number of interested parties including the Property Investors Federation, the New Zealand Standard NZS 8510:2017 on the testing and decontamination of methamphetamine contaminated properties was released in August last year. Most landlords want to provide properties that are safe and secure for their tenants, but are naturally also con... read more

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Parry reversed - Tribunal activism gone too far?

Considering the tremendous stress Anderson v FM Custodians Ltd has had on the landlord community, Vic Inglis’ successful appeal at the District Court is nothing short than an extraordinary, and much needed, relief. In September this year, Mr. Inglis was ordered by the Tenancy Tribunal (citing Anderson as authority) to refund his former tenant, Natalie Parry, nearly $11,000 of ren... read more

Thursday, November 09, 2017

Asbestos - the invisible threat to your property

Asbestos-related illness is the number one cause of death in New Zealand workplaces. For that reason alone, the government will require, from April 2018, for all properties undergoing major renovation to be checked for asbestos. This will have significant impact on property investors who are likely to become PCBUs during renovation projects. Related article: Health & s... read more

Sunday, November 05, 2017

Ouch! Absent or defective insulation statement could set you back $500

From 1 July 2016, all new residential tenancy agreements are required to include a signed insulation statement detailing the extent of insulation in the property. At the time of passage, this requirement was seen by many as a bureaucratic intermediary in anticipation of universal insulation by 2019. But if its recent orders are anything to go by, it is apparent that the Tr... read more

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Could this be the start to the end of FM Custodian?

The landlord industry has been rocked, in recent months, by the effects of the High Court's decision of Anderson v FM Custodians Ltd [2013] NZHC 2423. Specifically, the case has been cited as authority for tenants to claw back 100% of all rents paid throughout the time of tenancy at the point of dispute. It doesn't take much to acknowledge the gross injustice in ... read more

Monday, August 21, 2017

What does Peter Dunne’s resignation from Parliament mean for investors?

This afternoon, Hon Peter Dunne announced his resignation from Parliament after serving 33 years for the Ōhāriu Electorate. This move came shortly after the One News Colmar Brunton poll released just last week putting Labour’s Greg O’Connor well ahead of the polls. National has since announced that it will be throwing its full support behind its own candi... read more

Thursday, May 25, 2017

What you need to know about the proposed amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act

This week the Government introduced the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill (2) to Parliament. There are three main parts to this Bill that are worth noting by landlords: Tenants liability for damage Since Holler v Osaki, tenants are no longer liable for damages they unintentionally cause to a rental property. This Bill addresses the inherent inequitable ... read more