Melissa Benge

January 2021 was a busy month for the Christchurch rental property market and the First Avenue Property team. We thought we’d share some of the data and activity we’ve seen to help you put 2020 to bed and keep looking forward. 

Attracting good tenants and retaining them in your rental property is key to maximising the ROI on an investment property, so today we’re looking at how best to prepare vacant rental properties for viewing between tenancies.

Earlier this year Inland Revenue released information around claiming tax deductions for costs incurred in order to meet Healthy Homes Standards. This information is helpful for all residential landlords and owners of investment properties.

New Zealand’s real estate market is running red hot with our borders closed, no overseas holidays, and kiwis returning home in droves due to COVID-19. It begs the question - is this the time to sell your Christchurch investment property?

The deadline by which landlords must provide a Healthy Homes Standards compliance statement was moved from 1 July 2020 to 1 December 2020 in response to COVID-19 events.

Property management services can make life infinitely easier for both landlords and tenants renting in New Zealand. Let us look at four key pros of property management, focusing on the value and expertise professional property managers bring to the rental industry.

The Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill, which seeks to make changes to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), passed its final reading in Parliament on 5 August and will change the landscape for landlords and tenants.

Before the Healthy Homes Standards (HHS) come into force on 1 July 2021, there is a more pressing deadline of 1 December 2020 that private landlords need to be proactively working to meet.

In recent months we have had to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions on the fly along with the rest of the country. While we’re still subject to certain requirements in Level 1, we’ve actually adapted some of our Level 4, 3 and 2 learnings to improve the ongoing services we provide landlords and residential tenants.

Getting your bond back at the end of a rental property tenancy is an important part of moving to a new house. Some tenants depend on their money being refunded in full to help them cover moving costs, while some overlook this vital step when ending their tenancy because they’re unsure how to apply for a bond refund.