A
tenant has the responsibility of maintaining the property
in a reasonable condition throughout the tenancy agreement.
At
the end of the tenancy the tenant should leave the property
in substantially the same condition as the beginning of
the tenancy, subject to fair wear and tear.
The
tenant should not make any alterations to the property without
the lessor’s consent. A lessor should not be unreasonable
in granting consent to a tenant for making alterations to
the property.
A
good example is picture hooks – do not install hooks
without the prior consent of landlord or agent – or
this can cost you money at the end of the tenancy.
Repairs
The lessor must provide the property, and any furniture
fittings and appliances, which are included in the agreement,
to the tenant in a reasonable state of repair and in a reasonable
state of cleanliness, and with secure locks for the property.
If
you become aware of any repairs, which are necessary, you
should notify the agent immediately. This can be done to
our office from this website.
The
lessor or agent must take all steps to effect repair within
a reasonable time.
If you cause damage to the property, you are obliged to
effect repairs equivalent to a tradespersons standard at
your own cost. You must notify the lessor or agent of any
repairs that have been preformed.
Urgent
repairs
There are special provisions in the Residential Tenancies
Act for the performance of urgent repairs. Urgent repairs
are those, which are needed to correct serious faults or
problems with the property, which could be dangerous to
the tenant or could result in substantial damage to the
property or its contents. Examples of urgent repair work;
While
this list is an example only and not intended to be exhaustive
and complete, the tenant should be mindful that you would
only invoke the urgent repair provisions of the Act as a
last resort.
For
example if you are unable to contact the agent or lessor
or the lessor fails to perform the urgent repairs, then
the tenant may arrange for the repairs to be preformed.
The limit to which repairs can be authorised is equivalent
to two weeks rent.
If
you seek to arrange for urgent repairs to be performed,
then you must follow the these steps:
Maintenance Inspections
Every 3 to 4 months you can expect a visit from your property
manager. These regular visits are part of the agent’s
duty to the landlord to ensure all is well with your tenancy.
Prior
to an inspection you will receive notification in the mail
so that you will have plenty of advanced warning. You do
not need to be in attendance if you do not wish to be or
are otherwise engaged, however it is a good opportunity
for you to have a chat with your property manager and discuss
any issues, which may be of concern to you.
Remember
these visits are not just to check up on you, but rather
to ensure there are no maintenance issues, which need to
be addressed by the landlord. This is an excellent time
to let your property manager know of any maintenance faults
you may have found, – remember you live in the property
and the property manager only visits for a half hour, so
your input can be most valuable to these visits.
