Landlords need to comply with various legal obligations. The Residential Tenancies Act 1986 requires landlords to maintain their rental homes in a reasonable state of repair. This also covers any furniture, chattels and equipment that are provided as part of the tenancy.
It is a landlord's responsibility to make sure that the current condition of the heat pumps, ventilation systems and insulation is sufficient to comply with meeting your obligations of keeping the chattels in a reasonable state of repair.
Although there is no legal requirement for the quality of products you choose to use in your rental property (as you only need to meet the minimum requirement to comply with standards), it pays to shop around. A product built by a more reputable brand that comes with warranties could be worth spending a few extra dollars to avoid possible issues with future maintenance.
If something is broken or can't be kept in good working order, it must be replaced in a reasonable timeframe.
The reasonable timeframe will vary case-by-case and will depend on the availability of tradespeople, parts and replacement product. It is always best to keep tenants updated on the progress of any repairs.
It is a tenant's responsibility to make sure the property is kept clean and tidy. This does include maintaining the condition of the heat pumps and ventilation systems where it is accessible and easy to do.
The tenants are in charge of cleaning filters regularly and notifying you if something is broken so that it can be addressed as soon as possible.
Initial property inspection is an excellent opportunity for landlords to educated the tenants on how to clean and keep clean any accessible filters or units.
If cleaning and maintaining the device requires special tools, skills or technical knowledge, the landlord is generally required to maintain the device, including cleaning any filters.
The information contained in this article is exclusively for promotional purposes. It does not in any way constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as the basis for any legal action or contractual dealings. The information is not and does not attempt to be, a comprehensive account of the relevant law in New Zealand. If you require legal advice, you should seek independent legal counsel. myRent.co.nz does not accept any liability that may arise from the use of this information.
