The Renting Guide
pb.co.nz Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008
Welcome to Property Brokers From 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 28 days notice in writing.
The following conditions will apply;
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).
1.
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.
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.
2.
The tenant must pay our marketing and reletting costs, your property manager will confirm these to you in writing.
If you have not received an acknowledgement within 2 working days of your email, please phone your property manager to confirm receipt.
If you wish to renew your fixed term agreement, please contact your property manager in the period 90-28 days before the end date.
Under a periodic tenancy, a landlord can give you 63 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 the purchaser requires vacant possession.
Tenancy advice
Tenancy issues
Need help?
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.
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
W
tenancy.govt.nz
P
0800 TENANCY (0800 83 62 62)
E info@tenancy.govt.nz
They have an excellent website that will explain all aspects of Tenancy Law in New Zealand.
We will attend to it promptly and respond to your problem within 48 hours of receiving your complaint.
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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. 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 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 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 and form is 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 form from MBIE. This contains details of the bond lodged with them and includes your bond 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 on the bond form reflects this. Please contact your property manager to ensure the correct process is followed. 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 included in 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. 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 or automatic payment (AP), payment must come out of your account on the same day every week, (no sporadic payments). 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.
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 use 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.
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 with 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 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 given 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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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
• That the wall switch is turned on
• That the gas meter power switch is on
• That the mains power is switched on
• That the power/gas account has been paid
If none of the above, please phone our office or send an email to your property manager, If it is an emergency (i.e. there is a risk to people or of damage being caused at the property) and it is outside of normal business hours, please call our after hours help line on 0800 4PBRENT (0800 4727368).
• That the hot water cylinder is turned on If none of the above, please phone our office or send an email to your property manager, If it is an emergency (i.e. there is a risk to people or of damage being caused at the property) and it is outside of normal business hours, please call our after hours help line on 0800 4PBRENT (0800 4727368).
• The fuse box If none of the above, please phone our office or send an email to your property manager, If it is an emergency (i.e. there is a risk to people or of damage being caused at the property) and it is outside of normal business hours, please call our after hours help line on 0800 4PBRENT (0800 4727368).
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 If none of the above, please phone our office or send an email to your property manager, If it is an emergency (i.e. there is a risk to people or of damage being caused at the property) and it is outside of normal business hours, please call our after hours help line on 0800 4PBRENT (0800 4727368).
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. 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.
• 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 or blown fuse If none of the above, please phone our office or send an email to your property manager, If it is an emergency (i.e. there is a risk to people or of damage being caused at the property) and it is outside of normal business hours, please call our after hours help line on 0800 4PBRENT (0800 4727368).
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Maintenance and repairs
Maintenance
Emergency repairs
We ask that you report immediately any matters requiring repair or maintenance in order to avoid the risk of injury to either yourselves, your visitors or damage to the rented property.
If an emergency repair is required, please call your Property Manager immediately.
You can do this by: •
Sending an email, text or by calling your Property Manager
•
Logging on to our website and completing the repair request form in the tenant section under rentals
If the issue is non-urgent, please contact your Property Manager on the next business day.
Outside of business hours, please call the after hours* help line on 0800 472 7368. Unless it is an emergency, any maintenance arranged by yourself will be at your expense. Please see the troubleshooting section for minor issues you can address yourself. *After Hours only - not during normal operating hours.
In after hours emergencies or weekends, you can contact our after hours help line - 0800 472 7368
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 a property 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.
PB046698 JAN21
Licenced REAA 2008