Important info and obligations

Once we have received your written notice that you are ending your tenancy we will ask for reasonable access during your notice period to show prospective tenants the property. Reasonable access must be given and we will work with you so that this can be arranged. 

Responsibility for maintaining the grounds will be stated on the second page of your Tenancy Agreement under the Ground Maintenance clause. If you are responsible for maintaining the grounds we ask that lawns are mowed and that gardens are maintained with removal of weeds regularly. During the tenancy we ask that all grass clippings and garden waste is removed from the section. Tree trimming is the responsibility of your landlord.

There are many causes for dampness, mould and mildew in properties. Some of these may be due to the actions of tenants and caused by such things as not ventilating the property, using unflued gas heaters and drying clothes inside. Some of these may be the responsibility of the landlord and caused by such things as leaking pipes, blocked guttering and jammed windows. Some causes may not be the fault of either the landlord or the tenant and can be caused by such things as where the house is located and how much sunlight it gets. Where there is a problem with mould, mildew and dampness, you should try to clean the mould and mildew away and notify your Property Manager of the problem. This can be alleviated by opening curtains and windows during the day.

Under the Residential Tenancies Act you are responsible for keeping the property clean. This includes any marks or residue on wall & ceilings, windows, hard flooring, bathroom surfaces etc.

Tips: Use sugar soap on walls and ceilings not products such as Jiff as it will scour the surfaces and leave residue. Do not use scourers or such materials on appliances, these will mark and scratch the surface & remove control instructions. Glass shower doors are easier to keep clean by squeeging the water off after each shower.

We do NOT recommend DIY use of a rug doctor or similar for carpet cleaning as often it is more expensive for a professional carpet cleaner afterwards. 

If there are any maintenance issues that you wish to raise with your Property Manager, please call them, submit a request here or email.

Your local council collects rubbish in your area. They will only collect rubbish that’s been placed in official council rubbish bags or bins, some areas will have private contractors. The bags/bins need to be placed at kerb side before 8am. Remember, any rubbish not disposed of regularly could become a health hazard, especially during summer. It’s a condition of your tenancy agreement that all rubbish must be disposed of on a regular basis. Some rural properties do not have a council service.

Please do not use ‘Blu-Tak’ (or similar products), sticky tape or dress making pins to hang or place pictures on the wall. Removal of these items at a later stage usually causes damage to the walls. Picture hooks are preferable but we ask that you leave them where they are when you leave as removing them may damage the wall. If this happens you will be responsible for repairing any damage.

If you lose your keys or lock yourself out during business hours you may be able to use our key (if it is available). After hours you will need to call a locksmith at your expense. It’s important to note that for privacy and security reasons, we are only able to give keys to tenants listed on the tenancy agreement and photo identification must be produced. 

We respect your rights as a tenant to quiet enjoyment and privacy during your tenancy and we will do our best to help you during our time together. However, should you believe you have a problem which is not being treated fairly by our staff, please put your complaint in writing. We will attend to it promptly and respond to your problem within 48 hours of receiving your complaint.

If you want to seek independent advice on your legal rights and responsibilities as a tenant we suggest that you contact Tenancy Services which is an independent government body. They also have an excellent web site that will explain all aspects of Tenancy Law in New Zealand.

Web: www.tenancy.govt.nz/

Call:  0800 TENANCY (0800 83 62 62)

Email:  info@dbh.govt.nz