Here in New Zealand, renting is often seen as just a stepping stone before buying a house, but for many people - especially in our larger cities - renting is actually a very long term solution. That means not just any rental home will do, especially for good tenants who can be hard to find.

Damage to a property is probably a landlord’s worst nightmare, even with insurance on side. But a recent tenancy case (Holler and Rouse versus Osaki) in the New Zealand Court of Appeal has lead to a landmark new ruling with regards to who stumps up the cash when damage occurs in a rental home - which has left some property owners less than impressed.  

Good tenants are often hard to find - so if you’ve got them, you’ll want to do your best to keep them! With that in mind here are a few handy hints on how to keep good tenants happy over the Christmas and summer holidays.

Landlords want good quality tenants. It’s as simple as that. People who pay rent on time, get on well with their neighbours, and look after your investment. So how do you sort the tenants who will take care of the property and pay on time, from the ones you’ll be chasing for months through Tenancy Tribunal hearings?

When it comes to rental agreements it can be difficult at times to know exactly who is responsible for taking care of what. As a landlord there’s a lot you are responsible for, but it’s also important you have an idea of what your tenants should be taking care of.

Handing over the keys to your retirement. For most people, that’s what investing in property is about. It’s a large investment, but in order to make a return you have to trust that someone will take care of it properly. How do you decide which are the tenants who will keep your property clean, dry, and as damage free as possible, and the ones who are late with rent, lie, and don’t stick to the terms of your rental agreement?