The best tenancies are when both the property owner and rental customer are happy and committed to a long, positive relationship. Unfortunately in some cases, things don’t go as planned resulting in one of or both of the parties in a dispute before the Tenancy Tribunal. Recouping costs is often part of a claim made, such as those caused by wilful damage to a property.
In this report from Landlords.co.nz in October, a rental property owner brought a claim against a rental customer for damage to a Tuakau, Waikato property that included ‘walls, dishwasher, rangehood, kitchen drawer, tiling and flooring.’ The adjudicator J. Tam ruled the damage more than fair wear and tear, ordering the rental customer to pay the owner KPKR Investment Group over $17,000.
With many rental property owners concerned about the changes brought about by the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill 2020, the above instance demonstrates that there is recourse for property damage caused. It’s more important than ever that rental property owners’ properties are kept compliant, maintained and well-managed. If you’re interested in getting help managing your property, contact your local Quinovic team.
