For most investors, managing tenants is one of the most stressful things about owning a rental property. Finding ones who won’t cause trouble, will look after the home as if it were their own, and always pay the rent on time is the ultimate goal - and surely close friends or family would make the best tenants, right? Unfortunately it isn’t so straight-forward.

A bond is a security deposit a tenant pays at the start of a tenancy. It is held by Tenancy Services and is paid back to the tenant at the end of the tenancy provided no money is owed to the property manager or owner for rent, damages or other costs. So when it comes to managing tenancy bond, what is involved? 

Recent changes to the Health and Safety Work Act (HSWA) have far and wide reaching implications for everyone involved in managing property. While some may see the new measures as pedantic, the consequences are anything but. If you want to avoid serious fines and potential jail time, paying attention to how you’re affected by the HSWA could be a real lifesaver.

Owning a rental property can sometimes be a risky business, even the most savviest of investors can fall victim to any number of serious issues. One problem in particular plaguing New Zealand rental properties is the rise of drug labs, which is where tenants are producing methamphetamine (also known as meth or P).

With a housing boom in full swing, more people are looking for a long term rental rather than buying a house. Initially this seems positive news for landlords, after all, who wouldn’t want long term tenants? However, managing your own rental property isn’t as simple as finding tenants, sitting back and collecting the rent. Many underestimate the time cost of being a landlord.

Managing a rental property to your benefit, along with making sure the tenant's needs are met, is a difficult balancing act.