In The Know - Property Management
13 March 2019
Find all the Property Management information on this page or visit the full In The Know version
REINZ appoints Head of Property Managment 
REINZ is delighted to announce that it has recently appointed Jo Rae as the new Head of Property Management.
Jo brings significant experience to her new role, having worked in property management since 1990. She has worked in a variety of roles over the years including owning an independent property management company, through to Business Development Manager for an established franchise company. Jo has been a member of REINZ since 1993 and became a REINZ Accredited Property Manager in 2016.
Read the full announcement here.
Healthy Homes Standards - what it means for Landlords and Property Managers
Planning in advance will be the key to ensuring you meet the new Healthy Homes Standards before the deadlines. REINZ sees the new standards as a positive move that will enable Property Managers to work with investors whose rental properties will now require these upgrades. That being said, a number of investors already actively maintain and carry out regular upgrades to their properties as required.
With the current shortage of contractors, we recommend identifying potential improvements as soon as possible. This could form part of your routine property inspections and give investors an idea of what they will need to budget for.
It is critical you understand the key dates and deadlines around the Healthy Homes Standards:
1 July 2021 – from this date all private landlords must ensure that their rental properties comply with the new standards within 90 days of a new tenancy this includes a renewal of tenancy.
1 July 2024 – all rental homes must comply with the Healthy Homes Standards. If you have a Tenancy already in place at 1 July 2021 and there is no change with that Tenancy through to 1 July 2024 you are legally required to have completed work to the new standards by this date.
REINZ will be issuing regular updates as they come to hand along with information from experts working in the building and housing industries.
Property Manager Workshop: Health and Wellbeing through Mindfulness
Friday 12 April
As a busy Property Manager, it’s easy to feel stressed, time-pressured and under the pump. By focusing on what you’re doing in the present moment, you can help calm your mind, alleviate stressful moments and feel much more in control.
Becoming more mindful helps reduce tension, stress and anxiety – especially in a face-paced working environment when juggling your rent roll, managing relationships, dealing with conflict and more!
Case Update
Soft drink spills
A claim was made by the landlord against the tenant for the replacement of carpet in one room of the premises. The amount claimed was $2500.
The landlord provided evidence of what appeared to be soft drink stains on the carpet and some discoloration on the carpet near the entrance door as well. He also provided evidence that the tenants had tried to remove the stains by using a Rug Doctor however, claimed that this made the problem worse.
A report from a cleaning company had been given to the Tribunal evidencing that the premises was cleaned prior to the tenancy commencing and that the carpet had no stains. The company also stated that, had they been called earlier then there was a 95% chance of removing the stains however, it would now cost at least $500 with no guarantee of removal.
Damage: The law states that when a landlord has insurance, a tenant is not liable for repairs unless the damage was intentional.
The landlord had not claimed insurance and accepted that the carpet stains may have been a result of carelessness on behalf of the tenants however, claimed that the subsequent attempts to remove the stains were intentional and therefore, the tenants were liable.
Finding: The Tribunal stated that it was not the act of using the Rug Doctor that needed to be established to be intentional, but it was the intention to cause damage. The use of the Rug Doctor was an attempt to remedy the damage and was not an attempt to cause damage.
The Tribunal also stated that the landlord had an obligation to mitigate under section 49 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. It further stated that where there was a strong possibility that the damage could be removed or mitigated by cleaning, then this would be the first place to start. If this was unsuccessful then the landlord could explore further options.
The Tribunal stated that when assessing whether to make an award in favour of the landlord, they must consider depreciation or betterment. The Tribunal noted that the carpet was almost 4 years old. They questioned whether it was reasonable to replace the carpet, if it could be cleaned instead and found that the carpet was still usable and that the tenancy continued.
The Tribunal was not satisfied that the carpet needed replacing or that the tenant was liable. The landlord’s claim was dismissed.
You can find the full decision here.
REINZ and Real-iQ deliver the NZ Certificate in Residential Property Management
Lift your professionalism and standards and prepare yourself now for potential industry regulation.
Click here for more information.
