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Complete Property Management

OFFICE HOURS

9am till 5pm Monday - Friday By appointment Saturday

Emergency Number | 027 967 7069

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/CompletePM

+64 6 2811561 DDI +64 6 2811562

62b Carthew Street Okato 4335 Taranaki

[email protected]

www.cpm.org.nz

FLATTING – YOUR RIGHTS AS A TENANT FIXED TERM TENANCY This lasts for an agreed period of time – six months, 12 months, etc. You can not decide to give notice with this type of agreement and neither can the landlord. See your tenancy agreement on ways for you to be released from your fixed term agreement. PERIODIC TENANCY This works on a week to week basis. In this type of agreement you can give 21 days notice at any time while your landlord has the right to give you notice as well. BEING A LEASEHOLDER Whoever signs the lease is responsible for the rent and the condition of the property. Even if someone else damages the property, the leaseholder foots the bill. You should have had all of the people residing at your property on the agreement – this makes you all equally responsible. INSPECTIONS You should have completed a first inspection with your landlord and signed the condition report agreeing to the condition of the property before you moved in. This ensures you will not be liable for damage that was already there. We carry out inspections once every four months – it is your responsibility to present the property in a reasonably clean and tidy condition, report on any maintenance issues and to inform us of any contact details that have changed. RENT IN ADVANCE Your rent in advance covers you for the next one or two weeks, meaning you don’t have to pay again until the end of that rent period. Paying rent in advance does not mean you have a one or two week grace period at the end of your tenancy – it should be thought of as ordinary rent. BOND Four weeks bond is always required for Complete Property Management. You will receive a letter with your bond number in the mail, keep it somewhere safe. At the end of your tenancy, as long as the property is in a reasonably clean and tidy condition, you haven’t damaged the house, and your rent is up to date, you will receive your entire bond back. Everyone who signed the original bond form must sign the bond refund form as well. WHEN FLATTIES MOVE OUT If you have a flatmate moving out then you need to contact your Landlord so that we can change the names on the lease. The person moving will need to fill in and sign a change of tenant form if they are to be added to the lease. The new tenant should then pay the departing tenant the appropriate amount of bond money.

PAYING RENT You must pay your rent on time, all the time. Missing rent can compromise your tenancy and your legal stance, should things go bad. It is preferred that you pay your rent by automatic payment. We keep a ledger of all rent payments and you can request a copy of this at any time. If you have an automatic payment you should know that if there isn’t enough money available, your bank may charge you around $25 (depending on which bank you are with). If you are having issues with rent at any time, keep in contact with us – you will find that as long as there is strong communication between CPM and yourself we are a lot more lenient. If you are in a flatting situation we recommend you set up a flat account and ensure everyone’s rent come out of the same account as part payments are not our preferred option. RENT INCREASES The landlord does have the right to put your rent up (with 60 days notice) for as often as once every six months. ‘Arrears’ is what you will be in if you do not pay your rent. If you are even one day late on rent, we can send you a 14 day notice asking you to pay. If you fall behind by 21 days we have the right to go for immediate eviction. At this point, even paying your arrears will not necessarily stop the eviction. MAINTENANCE You must keep the property reasonably clean and tidy at all times. This includes things like taking out the rubbish regularly. It must also be reasonably clean when you leave. You must always be respectful of others peace and comfort. If something is broken, it should be fixed, even if your drunken mate decides to fight with the wall for example – it is still your responsibility. However if the oven stops working, or you have no water pressure then you must call Complete Property Management to get it sorted. INSURANCE Under the RTA, tenants are liable for any damage they, or their invited guests, cause intentionally or carelessly. Even if you are not named on the Tenancy Agreement, you should have a contents insurance policy to protect your belongings and a personal liability policy. If an insurance company pays out a landlord for damage and believes that a tenant is liable for that damage, the insurance company may seek compensation from the tenant. Personal liability insurance may protect you in this situation.

It could be worse A crushed garage after a tree fell due to high winds. This tenant now regrets not getting insurance because there were expensive personal belongings in the garage. It pays to have Insurance!

HAVING TROUBLE WITH SOMETHING AT YOUR PROPERTY? BEFORE CALLING US PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR SELF HELP SOLUTIONS TO AVOID UNNECESSARY CALLOUTS AND COSTS. If you are concerned about something in the property, please contact us. It is important to advise us promptly when repairs are necessary as failure to do so could result in you being responsible for the damage caused. If there are any maintenance issues that require attention (and are not urgent) please call during office hours or complete a Maintenance Service Request on our website at www.cpm.org.nz/tenants/maintenance-request-form AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY If you notice a fire, or your roof becoming loose in high winds or your power line has broken – please contact the fire brigade immediately. All after-hours emergency maintenance, please call 027 967 7069, please also leave a message on the office answering machine. Please note that the person answering the after-hours phone will only be able help you with emergency maintenance. NO FAULT FOUND- You pay the Invoice! You will be liable for the invoice, if you call us about an appliance fault and the service person doesn’t find any faults. Please read manuals or use google to figure out how to use an appliance or help with issues you have with your appliances before ringing us. NO POWER • • • •

Have you contacted your Power Company? There may be a street fault Has your power been disconnected? Have you checked with a neighbour? If in a block of units it may be the Body Corporate that needs to be contacted for action. Have you checked your fuse box? There may be an overload and the safety switch has been activated and needs resetting.

KITCHEN/BATHROOM SINK OR TOILET IS BLOCKED • • • • •

If there is a major blockage with sewerage overflow call us immediately. If the problem is that the sink or shower is taking a long time to drain away the following suggestions could help: Have you tried pouring hot water down the sink or using a proprietary drain cleaner such as Draino to try and free the blockage? (Do not use strong chemicals in a septic system) Have you cleared hairs, soap, food etc from the waste? You could also try a plunger to clear the blockage.

NO HOT WATER Is it Gas or Electric? • Have you arranged for the connection of your Gas or Electricity? If it is an Electric Hot Water System – • Have you checked that the hot water switch is turned on? • Have you check the fuse in the meter box? Has someone turned off the fuse by mistake? If it is a Gas Hot Water System – • Have you checked to see if your pilot light has gone out? Some units can be easily relit – others may require a tradesperson. • Has the gas been turned off at the meter? LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING OR POWER POINTS ARE NOT WORKING • •

Have you replaced the light bulb? Try more than one! Have you blown the fuse? Check your fuse box.

STOVE IS NOT WORKING • • •

There is a manual override on some stoves. The small clock on the left hand side needs to show a hand – rotate the dial to find. Has the oven switch been turned off by mistake? Check the fuse.

GARAGE REMOTE CONTROL IS NOT WORKING • • •

Have you checked to see if the batteries have gone flat? Have you checked that there is power to the automatic door opener? Have you checked that the red lever next to the control box is in the Auto position? If it is on the manual position you can only open it manually.

GARBAGE DISPOSAL IS NOT WORKING •

• •

Have you attempted to reset the safety switch? This is normally a little red or black button underneath the bottom of the garbage disposal unit. You may have to get down on your hands and knees to find the switch. This switch can be activated by an overload and simply needs to be reset. If there is a reverse switch, put it into reverse and try again. Please note that if you have caused the blockage you are responsible for the cost of repairs.

NOT TURNING UP AT AN APPOINTMENT ARRANGED WITH A TRADESPERSON The tradesperson will contact you for access to the property. Should you arrange a time with the tradesperson and then not turn up, or turn up late, you will be responsible for the tradesperson’s callout charge. WATER LEAKS • • • •

Make a point of locating your toby. Try to isolate the problem: If the leak is coming from the toilet cistern – turn off the inlet valve. If a mains pipe bursts – turn off the water supply at the toby.

KEY/LOCK PROBLEMS •

• •

Have a spare key: We recommend that you leave a key with a friend or neighbour in case you lose or forget your key. If you need to you can pick up a spare key from our office during office hours, make sure you ring first to make sure the office is attended. This does not qualify as an emergency – do not call the emergency maintenance number if you have locked yourself out. The emergency maintenance person does not have access to spare keys. If you snap a key off in a lock – Contact your nearest locksmith. If a lock is sticking – try spraying it with WD40 lubricant.

After hours key delivery by a Complete Property Management Staff member is $200 cash payable on arrival

LEAVING WINDOWS / DOORS OPEN If a window or door is left open and blows shut (especially in high winds) and glass breaks or causes damage to curtains, blinds or floor coverings – you are responsible to get this repaired. Please be cautious and thoughtful when leaving windows open. We recommend that you use door stops and window catches. BUG OR FLEA PROBLEM/CONCERN • •

Spray infected areas with insect spray. Vacuum regularly. Repeat insect spray

PLEASE GET IN CONTACT WITH YOUR LOCAL COUNCIL FOR DETAILS REGARDING: • • •

Rubbish pick up Recycling bins/wheelie bins Water – if you have no water it may be that the council knows why so please check with them first. New Plymouth District Council South Taranaki District Council Stratford District Council

ph: +64 6 759 6060 ph: +64 6 278 0555 ph: +64 6 765 6099

For a non urgent Maintenance request, please fill out the Request Form located on our website www.cpm.org.nz/tenants/maintenance-request-form

HOW TO MAKE MY PLACE A HEALTHIER HOME If you have a property that has crying windows and indications of mould please read the following and undertake some small steps to help reduce your moisture levels, making your property a happier and healthier place to live. CRYING WINDOWS AND MOISTURE PROBLEMS CAN MAKE A COLD HOUSE! • • • • •

Leave some towels rolled up on the windows sills to collect dripping water Wipe all the crying windows and window sills every morning Leave windows open when home and if you have window stays Use a dehumidifier every day, all day, rotate it around every room. If you don’t have one, it would be a great for you to own one. They are very cheap to run. Use fin heaters to heat your rooms. They are a dry heat and are cheap to run.

WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO HIGH MOISTURE LEVELS? • • • • • •

Drying clothes on a clothes line inside, i.e. “A frame” Using a LPG or un-flued gas heater, these heaters let out 1 litre of water every hour; Using a dryer that is not vented without opening a window Not using a fan and leaving a window open for at least 10mins after using the shower Leaving wet clothes/towels on the bathroom floor Cooking without turning on an extractor fan or opening a window to let steam out

WHAT CAUSES MOISTURE TO HANG AROUND, MOULD TO APPEAR & MAKE YOUR HOME COLDER? • • • • •

Not wiping down windows and window sills every morning Not opening windows and leaving windows open when you can Not allowing airflow to circulate around your property, i.e. opening curtains and interior doors Not wiping wet areas in your bathroom after using the shower, i.e. floor, ceiling and walls. Not wiping mould away as it appears.

It won’t take too long and it will go a long way to making your home a healthier and happier place to be. If you have been doing some of the above – That’s great. If you haven’t its time you started now. As tenants you have a responsibility to keep your home reasonably clean and tidy which includes the above.

SEE OUR WEBSITE www.cpm.org.nz Check out our website for further information and for all the forms you need in terms of your tenancy.

Complete Property Management Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/CompletePM

+64 6 2811561 DDI +64 6 2811562

62b Carthew Street Okato 4335 Taranaki

[email protected]

www.cpm.org.nz