Although COVID-19 isn’t going away any time soon, it’s still business as usual when it comes to our property viewings — in the safest way possible, of course! Keeping both current and prospective tenants safe is our priority, as well as ensuring that both landlords and tenants are up to date with everything they need to know. Read on to find out how exactly we’re doing this!
Knowledge Blog
Video Testimonial – Jasmine
As a first-time property investor and landlord, Jasmine wanted to make sure that her property was in good hands.
When friends, family and The Residential Tenancies Act don’t mix!
You will have heard a lot of news and discussion about the Healthy Homes Standards affecting rental properties in New Zealand. We thought we’d break down some of the information to make it easier for you to understand your expectations and responsibilities, whether you are a property investor or tenant. While none of these new requirements is hugely expensive on its own (insulation should already be installed), when you add them all together, they can add up to quite a lot when all done at once.
Our five day turn around to fill three neighbouring properties!
How’s this for a good news story? Three property owners handed over their keys to Copo on Monday… and by Friday all three properties were filled. 😲...
Complying with the Healthy Homes standards
Niall Heeran, managing director of Copo, spoke about Healthy Homes at the recent Wellington Property Association Meeting.He pointed out the fact is,...
Why Is Long Term Property Maintenance The Best Approach?
At Copo, we prioritise long term property maintenance instead of only addressing issues when they become urgent. Rather than waiting for the roof to...
Brand new houses fail the Healthy Homes Standards? What hope do we have!
By now, we’re sure you are very aware of the Healthy Homes Standards. To quickly recap, they are a series of regulations that have introduced specific and minimum standards for rental properties around heating, insulation, ventilation, draught stoppage, and moisture ingress and drainage.
What Does a Fully Compliant Rental Property Look Like?
If we showed you five photos of five different houses, would you know which ones complied with New Zealand tenancy law?
In New Zealand, all landlords and tenants have rights and responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (the Act). A rental property must meet compliance guidelines set out by the Act and the Healthy Homes Standards.
Some people mistakenly assume that older homes are more likely than new builds to have compliance issues. In fact, the age of a home is not often a determining factor. What matters most is the knowledge of tenancy law and the Healthy Homes Standards that the property owner or landlord has (and their willingness to comply).
We’ve even seen brand new builds fail compliance checks because builders have missed steps or have tried to take short-cuts. Ultimately, as a landlord, you are responsible for making sure your property is compliant before renting it.
How Does the Bright-line Test Affect You?
If you’re not going to live in the property you own, are you better off renting it out or selling it? Will this make it easier for first-time homeowners to buy property?
There are many questions surrounding the bright-line test. You will have heard a lot of discussion about it in the news recently. It’s been around for years. However, recent changes have been made to it that are intended to slow down the real estate market to help prospective new homeowners get on the property ladder. In short, the government is hoping to deter property investors from pushing prices up. This is by taxing people who profit from buying and selling property.
Hence, we thought we’d answer a few frequently asked questions here to help you make informed decisions about how the recent changes to the bright-line test may affect you.
Healthy Homes Standards
You will have heard a lot of news and discussion about the Healthy Homes Standards affecting rental properties in New Zealand. We thought we’d break down some of the information to make it easier for you to understand your expectations and responsibilities, whether you are a property investor or tenant. While none of these new requirements is hugely expensive on its own (insulation should already be installed), when you add them all together, they can add up to quite a lot when all done at once.