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Landlord FAQ’s
I’m thinking about renting out my own home, what if I want to move back in?
Do you have a defined length of time that you plan to rent out your home? For example, are you relocating overseas for 12 months and then returning? Or is it a 6-month sojourn with the option to renew? Either way, we believe it is best to be upfront and clear with prospective tenants from the time we first meet them if the tenancy isn’t going to be indefinite. If you or a relative want to move back into the home, or if you want to sell the property at any time, we will guide you and tenants through the end-of-tenancy process to make sure any communication and notices are made lawfully.
I’m not sure about all the new rental rules, how can I find out if my home complies?
To be honest, a great place to start is to speak with us. We are well-versed with the current requirements and can guide you in the right direction. We also have an eye to future-proof our landlords with sound recommendations that aim to help you save money in the long run.
What is the demand like at the moment for rental properties?
We are pretty lucky to have a high demand for rental properties at most times during the year. The beginning of the year is often exceptionally busy with people on the move for work but if your home is warm, presented well and Healthy Homes compliant then it will always be in high demand.
Do you look after commercial properties?
Yes, we offer commercial property management services. Our services are administrative and include managing lease/rent and OPEX payments, providing monthly and end-of-financial-year statements to your accountant, and paying outgoings on your behalf. By arrangement, we can coordinate property maintenance and fire alarm servicing and testing with a qualified provider.
How will you choose the tenants for my place?
The process involves meeting all prospective tenants and preparing a detailed application form, then conducting credit and background checks on preferred applicants. We can access databases that allow us to see if tenants have been known to the Police; if they have been to the Tenancy Tribunal; if they have defaulted, been bankrupted, or have any previous or current defaults on their name. Further to this, we complete reference calls by speaking with the preferred applicants’ current landlord or property manager; current and previous employers for character references as well as family, friends, and colleagues). The background check picks up any additional information that might be useful in assessing their suitability as a tenant.
Together with these processes, our property managers have significant levels of experience and skill when it comes to selecting the right tenant and can also gauge a lot from the meeting at the initial viewing. We are also long-term residents of Marlborough and active in the community so we have wide-reaching awareness of our community.
How do you advertise rental properties?
We advertise our properties for rent on major property internet portals such as trademe.co.nz, realestate.co.nz, raywhite.com, and oneroof.co.nz. The property will be promoted on Facebook and through rental lists from our office.
Given the current demand, we often have quality tenants known to us waiting for a home so we can often find a great tenant for your property without the wait for photography and advertising.
Do you do property inspections?
Yes, we do routine inspections as often as you wish (most insurance companies require four per year). After the inspection a detailed report will be sent to you, and we’ll let you know of any maintenance requirements. If there are any issues with cleaning etc we will work with the tenants and follow up with another inspection to ensure the problem has been resolved.
We also carry out a very thorough pre-tenancy inspection. This inspection takes several hours to complete and includes over 200 photos or video. The inspection is agreed upon by both the property manager and the tenant and ensures an accurate end-of-tenancy inspection can be completed before any bond is released.
How do I get paid? Does the rent collected go into a trust account?
We pay our landlords twice per month, any rent collected up to that date minus any fees or maintenance invoices. We can of course make a special payment of any monies sitting in your landlord account at any given time. We supply a full statement including any copies of invoices with the 1st of the month payment. We provide an end-of-financial-year statement to you as well. While there is no legal requirement for any property management office to use a trust account it is certainly best practice. Complete Property Management operates a dedicated client funds account that is audited independently once a year.
Is it a good idea to keep furniture and appliances with the house?
We meet a wide range of people looking for diverse styles of tenancies. We have also cultivated excellent relationships with businesses and organisations that regularly require furnished homes. While longer-term tenants usually have their own furniture we can advise you on the pros and cons of keeping furniture and appliances with the house.
If something is broken and the tenant’s fault, what will you do?
As an example, if we find the waste disposal is not working, we will get our contracted plumber out to assess and fix the issue, our contractors always report back to us with the damage report findings. If they come back and find the waste disposal was not working due to foreign objects being down there, this will indicate tenant damage. We will then charge the tenant for this repair.
If something is broken by itself, what will you do?
We are assuming this will be due to wear and tear. This will fall under landlord’s responsibility. For example, if the oven stops working, it is our responsibility to get a new working oven sorted or repaired as soon as possible for the tenant.
What are your fees and additional costs?
Our team will discuss our fees with you after they have visited the property and discussed the service required. We will always be completely transparent with our fee structure before we take on a new management.