Section (55)(1)(aa) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA) provides landlords with an additional option for responding to rent arrears during a periodic tenancy. This section of the RTA was introduced through the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2020 (RTAA) and took effect from 11 February 2021. It is in addition to existing provisions under sections 55 and 56 of the RTA, which gives landlords the ability to seek termination of a tenancy in certain situations, including unpaid rent. This additional option was introduced due to the removal of the 90 day no cause termination for periodi ..read more

A well-functioning residential tenancies market is vital to ensuring New Zealanders have access to secure, healthy and affordable housing. Residential property managers play a significant role in that market, managing over 40% of New Zealand’s rental accommodation. The market has grown in recent decades and now houses nearly one in three New Zealand households. While many property managers abide by appropriate professional standards established by the industry, the sector itself is not required to meet minimum competency and industry practice requirements. This presents significant risks to p ..read more

In the November issue of the Property Management Focus newsletter, we included extracts from a press release from the Privacy Commissioner. In the release, it was announced that there would be a focus on compliance with the Privacy Act 2020 within the rental sector from March 2022. Harcourts property managers take privacy very seriously and we have recently undertaken several training sessions to ensure that we understand why privacy is so important and what we can do to ensure that our processes are compliant with the Privacy Act. This included engaging directly with Jackie Adams from the Of ..read more

With the spread of Omicron in New Zealand and many households having to self-isolate for sometimes extended periods of time, the ability to move house can be impacted. Regardless of whether a tenant has given notice, or the landlord has terminated a tenancy, if a tenant or a member of their household has tested positive for COVID-19 and the Government health order states that the tenant, or a member of their household, must self-isolate, then the health order will override any termination notices and the tenant can stay at the property until their self-isolation period ends. The tenant will b ..read more

There are five healthy homes standards that became law on 1 July 2019, with key compliance dates over the following four years. All rental homes need to comply with each of the standards by 1 July 2024. These standards will play a significant role in improving the wellbeing of New Zealanders and their families. Warmer and drier homes are also less likely to have issues with mould or mildew damage, which better protects a landlord’s investment. Despite the healthy homes standards not yet being in effect for all properties, clause 15 of the Housing Improvement Regulations 1947 states that every ..read more

Whether you’re in Invercargill, Westport, Whangarei or Taranaki, you and your whanau can take part in Whale Tales – an interactive trail of decorated whale tails based in Auckland but able to be enjoyed across the country. As presenter of the World Wildlife Fund event, Harcourts is proud to showcase the 80 one-of-a-kind ‘Big Broo’ whale tail sculptures dotted around Auckland until the end of April. Designed by a vast array of known and up-and-coming Kiwi artists, the tails have caused a great deal of excitement – with Harcourts providing many of the 80 smaller tails to primary schools to desi ..read more

It’s time to sell your home, and you’ve decided to stage the place yourself for potential buyers. That’s an excellent choice – not only does staging tend to facilitate sales, but it can increase the amount of money you get for your property. In fact, some professional stagers estimate that their services boost their clients’ bottom line by up to 10%. You can try your hand at staging to reap the same financial benefits when selling your home. To make the process a bit easier, here are seven areas to focus on when sprucing up your space: 1. The Living Room People coming to view your home want t ..read more

The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act took effect on 11 February 2021 and changed the law on notice periods and reasons for ending a tenancy. It is important to understand when a tenancy was granted, as this will determine how much notice is required from either the landlord or the tenant, and whether a reason to end the tenancy is required. If a landlord gives notice to terminate a tenancy without grounds, they are committing an unlawful act, and the tenant can apply to have the termination notice cancelled and exemplary damages up to $6500 awarded. For tenancies granted prior to 11 Februa ..read more

Tenancy days start and end at midnight. Landlords and property managers must not demand that tenants leave before midnight on the last day of their tenancy. If a tenant gives notice to vacate on a certain date (such as 1 March 2022) and pays rent for that date, then the tenant has the right to the premises until 11.59pm on 1 March 2022. It is wrong to require the tenant to move out and hand over keys on that date; rather, the keys should be returned early the following day. The final inspection can then take place once the keys are returned. Harcourts property managers will arrange the timing ..read more

Data released in January by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) shows there were 256 fewer farm sales (-46.6%) for the three months ended December 2021 than for the three months ended December 2020. Overall, there were 293 farm sales in the three months ended December 2021, compared to 361 farm sales for the three months ended November 2021 (-18.8%), and 549 farm sales for the three months ended December 2020. 1,831 farms were sold in the year to December 2021, 235 more than were sold in the year to December 2020, with 84% more Dairy farms, 23.1% less Dairy Support, 7% more Grazi ..read more