If National becomes part of the next government, it is proposing to bring back the “no-cause” termination of a tenancy. This means that once again, owners will be able to evict tenants without the need to give a reason which, in turn works to undermine the security of tenure that tenants currently have.

Mould on surfaces grows from the mould spores that are all around us in the air. While we cannot eliminate them, they are harmless as long as we do not provide the three conditions that enable them to grow, that is, suitable temperature, a food source and moisture. The indoor environment caters to the first two conditions: we heat indoor spaces to provide the conditions in which mould likes to grow, but moulds can also grow in a wide range of temperatures so unheated indoor spaces can still sustain mould growth; and food sources for mould include many of the building and furnishing materials in our homes.

Around this time every year it’s the same problem – windows stream and mould grows. So, is there anything we can do to prevent it?

In light of the recent natural disasters that have seen many houses around the country ‘red-stickered’, what is the recourse for tenants when their rental property is damaged or becomes uninhabitable?

While the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA) generally applies to all residential tenancies, section 5 of the Act lists a significant number of situations where the Act is specifically excluded. Of particular relevance to family rental situations is s.5(1)(n), which excludes rentals where a rental property is used as a residence by the landlord, the owner of the premises, or a member of the landlord’s or owner’s family.

Changes to the Healthy Homes Standards (HHS) came into effect on 12 May 2022. In addition to the changes to heating (described in my previous blog), there are minor changes to the ventilation, and moisture ingress and drainage standards.

In response to feedback from the rental industry, the Government is to introduce a number of changes to the Healthy Homes Standards (HHS) for heating, ventilation, and moisture ingress and drainage.

There is some confusion about the differences between subletting and assigning. Both describe passing on a tenancy to another party but there are some significant differences.

While it seems tempting to make some additional money by letting your home as a holiday rental or a short-term rental, you should be aware of the differences between the two types of rentals and the issues around letting your home on a short-term basis.