A reminder update for everyone, tenants and landlords.

As of the 1st of July, all new tenancies and renewals in rental homes will have to fully comply with the Healthy Homes standards within 90 days of the start of the tenancy or renewal.

We here at T And T Property Management have been working hard at getting properties healthy homes compliant within the time frame. We have been working with many preferred suppliers that have played a huge part in getting these properties compliant.

Our tenants have been very helpful in allowing our suppliers to go in and get these jobs done. We appreciate each and every one of our tenants that has made this process a little easier.

1. Bonds, we don’t hold bonds it is held by a third party
2. We are the middle person and act on behalf of the owner so cant always make decisions on the spot
3. When suppliers do jobs we use trusted suppliers but it is out of our control for some jobs on their time frame
4. Coming to view a property is like going to a job interview – first impressions always count
5. When it comes to any property management queries we do our best to respond as soon as we can, however our job means we are often in and out of the office.

When it comes to choosing a property manager it is important to take time and do your research. Having a good property manager can help attract and keep good tenants . Below are 5 qualities the best people in Property Management tend to have.

Experience: A good property manager will have thorough a understanding on all things property, especially an understanding of legislation.

Communication: A strong property manager should have exceptional communication skills, both written and oral.

Organization: A property manager must have contact information for both owners and tenants, along with phone numbers for maintenance staff, contractors and vendors. A property manager maintains a calendar of due dates for inspections and rental payments.

People skills: One of the most important qualities a property manager should possess is the ability to work well with people. Negotiation skills are a must in working out issues with angry tenants or persuading an owner to make improvements.

As winter sweeps in we find ourselves spending more time at home and inside than the warmer months. This means, we often see an increase in electricity bills from keeping lights on and heaters going as the temperature drops. The extra costs can be challenging for some people. Below is a few tips and tricks on how you can stay warm and save on some costs.

Keep the heat in:
Closing your curtains during the winter can help reduce up to 10 per cent of heat loss. Close your curtains and night or on windows that don’t catch much sun to trap the heat in. Although, opening the curtains on a sunny day can help boost the temperature via solar energy

Thermostat:
Using a thermostat can be a smart idea, however it is best to lower your thermostat during the night and also when you are away.

Replace your lights with LED’s:
LED light bulbs use up to 80 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs, while producing the same amount of light, and last much longer.

Draught stop:
Block up unused chimneys and stop draughts around doors and windows. You can make your own draught ‘snakes’ by stuffing rugby socks or pantyhose with newspaper or cushion filling. Up to 20 per cent of heating can be lost through draughts.

Layer up:
Staying warm this winter doesn’t have to blow your energy bill through the roof. In fact, it is quite easy to stay warm by layering up with quality clothing and blankets. Putting on extra layers of clothing, investing in thermals and having a good blanket or throw to use when your cold.

We are now in the middle of Autumn with Winter just peering around the corner. We all know with winter comes a lot of rain, wind, hail and quite possibly snow! Your gutters may be the last thing that comes to mind when getting ready for Winter. However if you are not prepared, they can become quite damaged and costly. There are a few ways to avoid some damage and prepare your gutters for winter.

Clears the leaves and debris out of your gutters.

While you should keep your gutters clear of leaves in Autumn. It should also be a high priority on your winter list. When its snows or freezes over night it can add a lot of weight to the gutters and cause them to become detached and collapse.

Realign your gutters.

You will want to make sure your gutters are realigned properly to avoid standing water in your gutters.

Repair any wear and tear.

Make sure your gutters are in working order for the winter months ahead. Seal any cracks, check all joins, and check for any missing or loose fasteners holding your gutters down to avoid them from flying of the roof and causing more damage to your home or those around you.   

Check your downspouts.

You also want to make sure that all downspouts are clear, as a backup could cause your downspout to freeze and crack later in the season.

Below are some questions and answers to our most frequently asked questions from property owners.

How long does it take to rent my property once empty? We like to allow 1 month however it is very rarely that it takes us long.

How do you vet tenants? We do reference checks, credit checks, Facebook checks and google search

How much bond do you take? 4 weeks rent which is held with the Tenancy Service

How often do we receive rent payments? Fortnightly owner payments

What do you charge? Between 8 and 10% + GST depending on the property and $35 + GST for an inspection

How often do you complete an inspection? Every 3 months, 6 weeks for the first to make sure everything is okay.

Working smoke alarms are required in every rental property in New Zealand. Smoke alarms are to be installed 3 metres of each bedroom door or in every other room where a person sleeps. When your sleeping you lose your sense of smell, so don’t assume your smoke alarms are working. Check them regularly by pushing the test button to sound the alarm. Fire can spread incredibly fast. You can protect yourself and others in your home by taking 5mins to check your smoke alarm is in working order.  

Handy tip: if you can’t reach use the end of a broom.

Head over to the Fire and Emergency website for an easy-to-follow maintenance guide https://fireandemergency.nz/at-home/smoke-alarms/

Managing a rental property is a full-time job, governed by several laws you must oblige by. While most of us have a “can do attitude” it is almost always better to have a property manager. Some owners simply don’t have the time to handle the day-to-day operations of their own rental property. Whereas others simply don’t want to have to deal with tenants.  It is important to know just how much value a property manager can bring to the table.

See below a few benefits of having a property manager.

Marketing & advertising – A property manager will advertise and market your property to prospective tenants. This could be when your property is vacant or becomes vacant. A property manager will prepare listing information and photography.

Viewings – your property manager will hold viewings for your property for prospective tenants.

Less stress – Someone else is managing your property as well as the tenants so you don’t have to worry as they will do most of the work for you.

Dealing with tenants – After your tenants move in if they have any problems, concerns or questions they’ll get in touch with a property manager.

Below are some questions and answers to our most frequently asked questions from tenants.

Are utilities included in the rent? For our rent per rooms, WIFI and power are included in the rent.

How often will rent increase? Annually

When is rent due and how will you need to pay? Rent is due usually due weekly or fortnightly, this is discussed when signing rental agreement. Payments are made via bank transfer.

How many weeks’ notice do I need to give? For a fixed term it is a mutual agreement between tenants and owners. A periodic tenancy is 28 days.

How much bond and rent in advance do I need to pay? Bond is 4 weeks rent and rent in advance is either 1 week or 2 weeks in advance depending on your choice of payment schedule

When do I get my bond back? The bond is held with tenancy services and can take up to 15 days to be processed once sent away. Provided everything is okay with the property the bond can be processed after the final inspection.

Can I apply without viewing the property? We prefer all prospective tenants to have viewed the property before applying as photos can be very deceiving. Family or friends can also view the property on your behalf if you live out of town or cannot make a viewing time

Does the property come furnished? All properties that come fully furnished will always be listed in the advertisement. Most properties don’t include furnishings such as whiteware however, we do have some that provide these amenities. Again this will be mentioned in the advertisement

When do the wheelie bins get emptied? Subject to suburb location, click the link below and enter your address to find out which day is your bin day

http://www.wastenet.org.nz/RecycleRubbish/WasteCollectionSearch.aspx

A rental bond is a sum of money that a landlord can ask for as security against their property when a new tenancy starts. The bond money is held by Tenancy Services for the duration of the tenancy. When a tenancy ends, the landlord can use this money if any careless of intentional damage as occurred to the property during the duration of the tenancy. Also, if there is any unpaid rent the landlord can use the bond to cover these costs.

A bond can be up to the equivalent of 4 weeks’ rent and must be lodged with Tenancy Services. You as well as everybody else that signed the tenancy agreement will need to sign the completed bond form. As a landlord you need to lodge it within 23 working days.

Getting your bond refund is an easy process. Given that the tenancy has ended, an inspection shows everything is in order and there is no unpaid rent. Simply complete the bond refund form and send it away to be processed. Remembering everybody who signed the bond lodgment form will need to sign the bond refund. It can take up to 15 working days to refund a bond when a fully completed form is received.

You can lodge your bond online or download and complete a form. To view these options please follow the link below

https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/rent-bond-and-bills/bond/