One private property owner has received a wake-up call when his tenant took him to the Tenancy Tribunal for failing to attend to property maintenance issues. The landlord’s claim to be an older person who did not know the requirements of the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) cut no ice and the Tribunal ordered exemplary damages to be paid to the tenant.
There was an estimated $400 worth of maintenance to be completed and the Tribunal said $600 would have to be paid to the tenant if the work wasn’t done within six weeks. It involved repairing leaking barge boards and guttering, rotten window joinery in a bedroom and an oven element.
The Tribunal also ordered $600 in exemplary damages to be paid to the tenant, over and above the maintenance costs.
Speak to your Quinovic team about maintenance for your property and set up an action plan to address ongoing or upcoming maintenance – they will be happy to assist you.
The new insulation requirements also come into effect on 1 July this year.
Ceiling and underfloor insulation will be compulsory in all rental homes where it is reasonably practicable to install. It must comply with the regulations and be safely installed. Landlords who fail to comply with the regulations will be committing an unlawful act and may be liable for a penalty of up to $4,000. If the tenant takes a case to the Tenancy Tribunal, the fine will be paid to the tenant. A great incentive for tenants to take non compliant owners to tribunal.
Meanwhile, Quinovic’s comprehensive management system has ticked the boxes in MBIE audits of many of our offices as part of the “we will visit all landlords” drive by the Tenancy Services’ Compliance and Investigation team.
