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Udy Realty Highlights New Insulation Standards Act

Tuesday 16 October 2018, 6:49PM

By Beckie Wright

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You would have had to be living under a rock not to know that all rental properties must be insulated by 1 July 2019, and landlords of rental properties now have less than a year to insulate them to the required standard. If rental properties that you are managing do not yet have ceiling and underfloor insulation installed, you – as the landlord – may be liable for exemplary damages of up to $4,000 under the Residential Tenancies Act.

Changes to the Act which came into effect in 2016 mean that ceiling and underfloor insulation must be installed where possible, according to the regulations, in every rental property by 1 July 2019. Rental property owners and landlords should be protecting their investment by keeping it in good condition. Insulation keeps properties warm and dry, makes it more efficient for tenants to heat, keeps them healthy, and encourages them to stay longer.

Insulation can be installed quickly in most homes, but waiting times vary around the country, and with the deadline coming up in July 2019, insulation installers could get booked out quickly. All tenancy agreements signed since 1 July 2016 must include a compliant insulation statement. The Compliance and Investigations Team is already looking at tenancies which don’t have statements, and Tenancy Services have taken non-compliant landlords to the Tenancy Tribunal.

From 1 July 2019, a major priority for Tenancy Services will be investigating rental properties which don’t meet the legal requirements. Their team is already growing in size, and they will be holding more landlords and property managers to account for non-compliance, so they urge landlords to act now, so they’re not caught out on 1 July 2019.

For more information on Harcourts property management, North Shore property managers and professional property management please go to http://www.udyrealty.co.nz .