108 | Property managers step up Rent South works collaboratively with Great South, facilitating ‘rent ready’ sessions in high schools. Rent South T T Russell Fredric “The New Zealand landscape in property has changed and will continue to change as we have to navigate the law and regulation that the Government puts through to use.” PROPERTY Keeping up with compliance and the complexities of being a landlord means fewer people are handling their own property management, Rent South owner Leeann Tautari says. “We’ve noticed a shift in that market now and I think that’s with the Healthy Homes, the increase in the compliance fines that are available now, that we are seeing people no longer managing their property.” “The New Zealand landscape in property has changed and will continue to change as we have to navigate the law and regulation that the Government puts through to use.” New rules from December 1 last year mean tenants now have the right to have a pet, subject to a pet bond being added to the usual four-week rent bond. The new rules are designed to make it easier for tenants to keep pets in their homes, while also giving landlords greater peace of mind through clearer expectations and protections, Leeann says. “Clear rules will set out pet request and consent requirements, as well as tenant liability for pet damage. These changes aim to remove barriers to rental access for tenants with pets, while mitigating landlords’ concerns about pet-related damage. “Owners cannot decline a pet unless there’s reasonable grounds. Tenants can be fully responsible for pet-related damage that’s more than fair wear and tear, and landlords consent to pets can have reasonable conditions included with their [pet] consent.” This rule change follows the Healthy Homes standards, the minimum required for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress, drainage, and draught stopping in rental properties, coming into effect for final compliance on July 1 last year. Ongoing regulatory changes highlights the need to engage a professional manager, Leeann says. In addition to offering many decades of combined experience, Rent South staff all have industry qualifications, while the company is a member of REINZ with official accreditation with the organisation. Invercargill remains a favourable location to both rent and invest, Leeann says. The disestablishment of Te Pukenga as a centralised tertiary institute and the re-establishment of SIT is great news for the city’s rental market, she says. “We haven’t seen the [previous] influx of the SIT students here in Invercargill, but I believe now once SIT becomes centralised again that there will be good numbers next year, so we will see those international students coming in who then look for accommodation in the region.” Rent South works collaboratively with Great South, facilitating ‘rent ready’ sessions in high schools. The sessions gives students the knowledge of how to apply to rent a property along with other information such as their responsibilities as a tenant. External feedback about the sessions has been extremely positive, Leeann says. “It’s not funded; it’s just something that we do to give back to the community. The industry has served us for a long time, and if we can give back and when these students come to see us that they are prepared and know what to expect.” Leeann is proactive in the property management industry and has been a guest speaker at workshops and conferences. • Specialists in Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning • Flooding & Stain Treatment Make your home new again. Proud Supporters of Rent South 03 218 2586 | 0800 183 311 SOUTHLAND T: 03 218 3941 143 Bill Richardson Drive, Invercargill office@refrigeration.co.nz www.refrigeration.co.nz
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