Tenant Trouble: Who Pays the Fee When Your Contractor Gets Canceled?

Handling property maintenance can be tricky, especially when contractors are involved. What happens when your tenant cancels a pre-arranged visit at the last minute or refuses entry, leaving you with an unexpected call-out fee and delayed repairs?

Landlords must balance their duty to maintain the property with a tenant's right to quiet enjoyment. Our latest article clarifies your rights and the correct legal steps to take when access becomes an issue, ensuring you don't end up footing an avoidable bill.

• Know Your Notice: Understand the clear rules under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) regarding lawful access for repairs and why the 24-hour written notice is non-negotiable.
• Access vs. Presence: Find out if a tenant is legally required to be home during a contractor visit, or if providing access is sufficient.
• Cost Recovery: Learn when you can seek to recover cancellation fees caused by a tenant's unreasonable actions and why you must use the Tenancy Tribunal process to do so.
• The Refusal Rule: Discover why you can never force entry, even with proper notice, and the official legal step required if a tenant explicitly denies access.
• Document Everything: See why clear, consistent record-keeping of all appointments and communication is your strongest evidence in preventing minor issues from becoming major disputes.

Are you following the right process to manage access issues while staying compliant with NZ tenancy law?

Read the full article here: Tenant Cancels Contractor Visit: Who Pays, and Can You Give Access if They Refuse?