The Renting Guide
pb.co.nz Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008
Welcome to Property Brokers From the top of the North to the deep South, Property Brokers manage more residential rental properties across these regions than most other companies. For all your renting needs call us first.
Thank you for renting with us If you have not rented through us before, we are sure you will find our processes and procedures helpful and our service second to none. Our goal is to make sure the tenancy runs smoothly for both you and your landlord. We will ensure that you, your landlord and the property are looked after in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act. This booklet should tell you everything you need to know about renting through Property Brokers. Enjoy living in your new home.
Tim Mordaunt
Chairman, Property Brokers Limited 3
Tenancies Fixed term tenancy
Periodic tenancy
Some tenancies are for a fixed term. A fixed term means that your tenancy cannot be terminated by either party during this period. We may be able to assist you if you need to break your fixed term tenancy agreement.
A periodic tenancy can only be ended by giving us a minimum of 21 days’ notice in writing.
The following conditions will apply; 1. 2.
The tenant is responsible for and must pay rent until the property is re-let to a suitable tenant (that we have approved of) and a binding agreement has been entered into. The tenant must pay our marketing and reletting costs, your property manager will confirm these to you in writing
To renew your fixed term agreement, please contact your property manager in the period 90-21 days before the end date. To end the tenancy at the conclusion of the fixed term, you must notify us within a minimum period of 21 days prior to the end of the fixed term. If you do not renew your tenancy, it will revert to a periodic tenancy.
Notice in writing must be delivered to the office, posted or emailed directly to your property manager (please allow an additional four days if posting). In your notice please include the current date, full names of all tenants on the tenancy agreement, the property address and vacate date, please make sure all tenants have signed this. If you have not received an acknowledgement within 2 working days of your email, please phone your property manager to confirm receipt. Under a periodic tenancy, a landlord can give you 42 days’ notice if they or a family member wish to move into the property, or 90 days’ notice if the property is being listed for sale, or has an unconditional contract of sale and the purchaser requires vacant possession.
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Tenancy advice
Tenancy issues
Need help?
Pets
We respect your rights as a tenant to quiet enjoyment and privacy during your tenancy and we will do our best to help you.
If you want to seek independent advice on your legal rights and responsibilities as a tenant, we suggest that you contact Tenancy Services, which is an independent Government body.
Your tenancy agreement will state whether you are allowed pets. If you wish to get a pet, you will have to make a request in writing to your Property Manager. They will then contact the owner of the property to discuss. In Unit Title developments, you may not be allowed to have pets as the body corporate rules may state this.
Should you believe you have a problem which is not being addressed fairly by our staff, please put your complaint in writing via post, or email to: service@pb.co.nz We will attend to it promptly and respond to your problem within 48 hours of receiving your complaint.
They have an excellent website that will explain all aspects of Tenancy Law in New Zealand.
If approval is granted, the agreement may include reasonable conditions, such as a pet bond of up to two weeks’ rent and responsibility for repairing any pet damage beyond fair wear and tear, including end-oftenancy carpet cleaning where needed. You will be required to sign this amendment and it will become a variation of your tenancy agreement. If you have a dog, you must comply with the Dog Control Act 1996.
W tenancy.govt.nz | P 0800 TENANCY (0800 83 62 62) | E info@tenancy.govt.nz
Tenant fixtures and minor changes If you wish to install any fixture to the premises or make any alteration, you must not do so without written consent from the landlord. The landlord must have a valid reason to refuse this request. If minor changes are made to the premises with consent of the landlord, the landlord can ask the tenant to return the premises to substantially the same condition that the premises were in before the changes were made.
Changing the tenancy
Outgoings
If you wish to make changes to your tenancy, this will very much depend on what type of tenancy you are on. If you are on a fixed term tenancy and you wish to assign the tenancy to another tenant, you need to contact your property manager prior to any changes taking effect. You cannot assign the tenancy without the landlord consent and the landlord cannot withhold consent unreasonably.
The tenant is responsible for all outgoings that are exclusively attributable to your occupation of the premises. Examples of this are electricity, gas, telephone and broadband. The landlord is responsible for rates, insurance premiums in respect of the premises (house insurance) as well as body corporate fees.
You need to notify your landlord as soon as possible regarding changes. If contact details have changed, you must notify the landlord within 10 working days.
Again, a landlord cannot unreasonably withhold consent for the request to make minor changes.
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lnsurance
You need insurance Your landlord’s insurance policy does not protect your belongings. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, tenants are liable for any damage they, or their invited guests, cause intentionally or carelessly to the premises. If the damage has been caused carelessly or accidentally, your liability will be limited to a minimum of either four weeks rent or whatever the landlords excess is for insurance they hold on the premises.. We recommend that you have the following insurance: •
A Household Contents or Renters Insurance policy to protect your personal belongings
•
A Personal Liability policy to protect you from any careless damage you or your invited guests may cause to the property - often this is included in a Household Contents policy. Check the details of your insurance cover at the time of taking out your insurance policy.
The landlord’s insurance details for the property you are renting are included under the Insurance details section of your tenancy agreement. If you need assistance or advice regarding insurance, please talk to an insurance adviser or your insurance company.
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Things you need to know
Making appointments
Initial Inspection Report
Bond
As our property managers are often out of the office, it is important that you arrange an appointment time if you wish to call into the office to discuss any aspect of your tenancy.
The Initial Inspection Report sets out in detail the current condition of the property you are moving into. You will be given this report when you are given the keys to the property.
We typically ask for four weeks rent as bond.
We know that there’s nothing more annoying than having to wait, or being unable to talk to the person that you wish to see. We’re happy to meet with you and assist however we can, so please just call to make an appointment first.
This report is used at the end of your tenancy for the bond refund so it is important that you take time to read it carefully and verify the information is correct. If you need to make any additions or amendments, do so on the form and return a copy of it to your property manager within seven days of the tenancy starting.
The bond money will be lodged with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) within 23 working days of the commencement of your tenancy. You will receive an acknowledgement from MBIE. This contains details of the bond lodged with them and includes your bond and tenant number. Keep this in a safe place. If there are any changes to the tenancy while you are living at the property, it is imperative that the information held by MBIE reflects this. Please contact your Property Manager and the Bond Centre if any of your contact details such as your email address are updated during your tenancy. Email BondDetailsUpdate@mbie.govt.nz or call 0800 836 262 Please note there may be a charge for any changes to the tenancy documents.
Occupancy
Utilities
Property inspections
Only the people originally included on your rental application or tenancy agreement are allowed to reside permanently at the property.
It is your responsibility to have the electricity, gas, telephone and internet service changed over to your name when you move into the property and finalise these accounts when you vacate.
We carry out property inspections approximately every 13 weeks.
Any alteration to this must be discussed with your property manager, as you will become in breach of your tenancy agreement if you choose to allow other people to reside at the property. The total number of occupants that may reside at the property is stated on your tenancy agreement.
Depending on your region, you may be responsible for water rates as well. If you require assistance with connecting power, gas, telephone and internet, Property Brokers can help with a company providing a free connection service, making life a lot easier for you. Ask your property manager for details of how to make use of this service.
You will be given at least 48 hours written notice of when this is to take place. To provide a comprehensive report to the owner, we are required to take internal and external photographs as part of the inspection. However, we do respect your privacy and will only take photographs internally of issues regarding your tenancy. Our team take property inspections very seriously and asks that you do as well. If you wish to be present and the date does not suit, please contact your property manager. We will try to accommodate your request but cannot guarantee this.
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Paying rent
Rent arrears
Keys
Your rent must be paid in advance, by internet banking direct credit (DC) or automatic payment (AP). Payments must be regular, on the same day of each week/fortnight to prevent sporadic payments.
Property Brokers has a zero tolerance policy to rent arrears.
If you lose your keys or lock yourself out during business hours, you may be able to borrow our keys (if they are available). It is important to note that for privacy and security reasons, we are only able to give keys to tenants listed on the tenancy agreement. Photo identification must be produced.
Bank account details for your rent to be paid into and the reference details required are included in your tenancy agreement. You will have been provided with an AP form, if this is your preferred method of payment please fill in your account details and return this to your bank at least three days before your rent payment is due. Alternatively, you can set up an online/internet banking payment yourself using the details from the tenancy agreement or AP form. Please ensure any payment you make contains the correct reference details as it can be difficult to track and allocate payments to your tenancy without the correct information. If we have to trace a payment that appears on our statement without the correct reference details, there may be a cost to you.
If you fall more than one week behind in paying your rent, we will apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to resolve the matter. In all cases of rent arrears, the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act will apply. If you are having genuine difficulty paying your rent it is in your best interest to notify us as soon as possible.
After hours you will need to call a locksmith. This will be at your expense. You can only change the locks with the permission of your property manager and a duplicate set of keys must then be provided to your property manager.
Hanging pictures
Grounds
Rubbish collection
Please do not use ‘Blu-Tak’ (or similar products), sticky tape or drawing pins to hang or place pictures on the wall.
Responsibility for who maintains the grounds will be noted under Lawns and Gardens (part 1) of your tenancy agreement.
Your local council collects rubbish in your area. They will only collect rubbish that’s been placed in official council rubbish bags. These can be purchased from any supermarket, Mitre 10 or direct from your local council. In some areas, rubbish bags are only supplied by the council.
Removal of these items at a later stage usually causes damage to the walls. Picture hooks are preferable but we ask that you leave them where they are when you leave, as removing them may damage the wall.
If you are responsible for maintaining the grounds, we ask that lawns are mowed approximately every fortnight, that the gardens are maintained and the weeds removed and disposed of.
The rubbish and recycling need to be placed at curbside before 7.00am. Check your local council website for recycling days.
We ask that you remove all grass clippings and garden waste from the section. Tree trimming is the responsibility of your landlord.
Remember, any rubbish not disposed of regularly can become a health hazard, especially during the summer months. It is a condition that the Tenant must not do anything that creates a hazard or health and safety risk, refer to the standard terms and conditions clause 4.3. of your tenancy agreement.
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Maintenance and repairs
Maintenance
Emergency repairs
As a tenant of Property Brokers, you will be able to log maintenance requests and track job history via our Tenant Concierge Service. This is unique to Property Brokers and can be found via our website at www.pb.co.nz/maintenance. Alternatively, you can simply scan your designated QR Code, and this will allow you to lodge non-urgent maintenance requests 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You will be kept updated on the progress of the request as well as be able to review maintenance history.
An emergency repair is when there is a risk to your health and safety or if the structural integrity of the property has been compromised.
Your Tenant Concierge Service may be able to help you troubleshoot your issue. We have also provided you with some common issues that you may have regarding basic maintenance.
If an emergency repair is required, please call your property manager immediately. Outside of business hours, please call the after-hours helpline on 0800 4727 368. Unless it is an emergency, any maintenance arranged by yourself will likely be at your expense. After hours means jobs that are outside our normal operating hours and includes weekends and statutory holidays.
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Troubleshooting Here are some common maintenance issues that often arise.
Hot water
Oven
Lights
If you have no hot water, check:
If your oven does not work, check:
If a light does not go, check:
• That the power switch is on
• That the timer switch on the oven is turned to manual
• The light bulb. Replace if necessary
• The power box for a tripped switch or blown fuse (click switch back, or replace fuse accordingly) • That the gas meter power switch is on • That the power/gas account has been paid • That the hot water cylinder is turned on • The presence of water around the cylinder would indicate a serious problem. Report this promptly to your property manager.
• That the wall switch is turned on • That the mains power is switched on
• The power box for a tripped switch or blown fuse (click switch back, or replace fuse accordingly)
Power points
Mould and mildew
Heatpump
If your power point does not work, check:
Some of these may be due to the actions of tenants and can be caused by not ventilating the property, using unflued gas heaters and drying clothes inside.
If your Heatpump does not work, check:
• Your appliance is not faulty by plugging the appliance into a different power point • If the power point or socket is not working, do not try to fix it yourself (log a maintenance request or notify your property manager)
Some of these may be the responsibility of the landlord and can be caused by leaking pipes, blocked guttering and jammed windows. Some causes may not be the fault of either the landlord or the tenant and can be caused by the house location and how much sunlight it gets.
• The batteries in the remote are working • The filters have been cleaned • The external power switch for the outside unit is in the on position • The power box for a tripped switch or blown fuse (click switch back, or replace fuse accordingly)
Where there is a problem with mould, mildew and dampness, you should try to clean the mould and mildew away and notify your property manager of the problem. 17
Ending your tenancy
Reasonable access
Vacating the property
Once we have received written notice that you are ending your tenancy, we will ask for reasonable access during your notice period to show prospective tenants through the property.
When notice is given by either the landlord or tenant, we will send out a check list for cleaning the property at the end of your tenancy. The Residential Tenancies Act states that the premises must be left in a reasonably clean condition.
Reasonable access must be given and we will work with you so that convenient times can be arranged.
All keys must be returned to our office by 9.00am on the following working day after you have vacated, otherwise the locks may be changed and you will be held liable for the cost of changing the locks. We will then carry out a final inspection. If there are any issues regarding the condition in which the property has been returned to us, we will contact you. Please be aware that we do not have to give you access to the property to address the issues. Any cleaning or repair costs may be deducted from your bond or result in a Tenancy Tribunal hearing.
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For all your property needs, please call 0800 367 5263
Disclaimer. While all care has been taken in preparing this publication, Property Brokers Ltd, its sales consultants and staff accept no responsibility for the accuracy of the information at any time. The information contained has been prepared by PBL for informational purposes only and should not be a substitute for legal, or other professional, advice; you are advised to seek specific advice relevant to your circumstances from a suitably qualified professional. PBL does not accept any responsibility or liability for any action taken as a result of relying directly or indirectly on the information in this document. How you use the information is your sole responsibility. If you have concerns about the information in this publication, contact PBL directly.
Q033101 JUL26
Licenced REAA 2008