It comes as no surprise to us that the report released by the Chief Science Adviser, Sir Peter Gluckman, last week concluded that there is no evidence of risk to health from third hand exposure to methamphetamine. At Nightingales our view has consistently been that the hysteria that was generated about meth contamination was just that – hysteria!

Unless the damage can be proved to be deliberate, the owner is not able to make a claim against the tenant and the Tenancy Tribunal is also bound by this decision.

Your landlord’s insurance will not cover your personal possessions. Furthermore, under the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill (No 2), if you or your invited guests cause any damage, you are still likely to have some liability for the reparation.

There are a number of reasons why we carry out property inspections – all of them essential for ensuring the maintenance and good management of your rental property. Reasons

Be wary of those property management companies offering fixed fee property management services.

If you are a landlord managing your own property or properties and you plan to be out of the country for more than 21 consecutive days, you must appoint an agent before you leave. And if you find yourself unexpectedly out of the country for longer than 21 consecutive days, you must immediately appoint an agent.

From 1 July 2019, all privately-owned residential rental properties will be required to have roof space and underfloor insulation where installation is ‘reasonably practicable’ – in other words, where it can be installed (the legislation recognises that in some situations such as due to limited access, design, or health and safety reasons, it may be impracticable or unsafe to access to install insulation.

The government is planning to introduce an amendment to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) 1986 that will no longer allow letting fees be charged to tenants.

This is a question I have been asked many times. My first response is that there is no right or wrong answer. You need to consider the reasons why you are wanting to invest in a property.