Landlord's obligations

21 October 2020

If you are the landlord of a property there are requirements in your insurance policy that you are obligated to undertake. These may vary between insurers, but generally speaking you are required to perform the following:

You, or the person who manages the tenancy on your behalf, must:

Exercise reasonable care in the selection of tenant(s) by at least obtaining satisfactory written or verbal references, and:


- Collect at least 3 weeks rent in form of a bond and/or advanced rent


- Complete an internal and external inspection of the property at a minimum of 3 monthly intervals and upon every change of tenant(s)


- Keep a written record of the outcome of each inspection, and provide your insurer a copy of the record if requested

- Monitor rents on a weekly basis with written notification being sent to the tenant(s) whenever rent is 14 days in arrears, together with a personal visit to determine if the tenant(s) remain in residence

- Make application to the Tenancy Tribunal for vacant possession in accordance with the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 once the rent is 21 days in arrears

As methamphetamine contamination in tenanted houses is becoming a more frequent issue, if the landlord’s obligations aren’t carried out then you may forfeit any claim. 

Please note that the above is a general overview and your policy may vary. We recommend you should check out your individual insurance policy obligations as a landlord.


 

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