December can be a trying month for rent arrears. With Christmas comes presents, with presents comes spending, with spending comes no money and as a result tenants tend to overlook rental payments. We have been advising tenants that they should start paying a little extra each week leading up to Christmas to avoid a rent arrears situation, however no matter how much we pursue the tenants, it is inevitable that some tenants will fall into arrears. As we know this is completely...
Our investor clients often ask when the best time is to renovate their investment property. Experience tells us that the best time to renovate is when the property is vacant, however some renovations can be done with tenants still in the property. Obviously, this is dependent upon the renovations to be undertaken. Renovations undertaken during a tenancy can encourage a tenant to enter into a longer term lease at an increased rent or to maintain the property at a liveable standard without the...
Fair wear and tear continues to be one of the biggest challenges we face when a tenant vacates the property and is the leading cause of disputes at the end of the tenancy. The term is not specifically defined in the Act and provides no examples, which leads to the interpretation becoming complex. What is considered fair to a landlord or a tenant is a grey area and if an unresolved dispute arises, it will often lead to a tribunal court hearing decision. Fair wear and tear is what...