Get ready for summer!

We’ve got together with some of our good friends to bring you a list of summer landlord tips. Take a look:

Dean Larritt, Maintain To Profit

Minimise the need for emergency repairs over the summer. Check that all of your rentals are secure by giving the door- and window- locks a once-over
before you head off on holiday.

Ron Goodwin

December/January are typically high-churn months for rentals on top of being financially stressful for many families. Make sure you are in a solid
cash-flow position to tide you over the next couple of months as you may find yourself having to subsidise rent arrears and/or empty houses.

Jonathan Chang, Core Logic

Summer is an excellent time to pick up great property deals. Now is the time to be on top of where the market is at and what properties are worth. Do
you know that you can get up to 40% off QV e-Valuer as an APIA member?

Sarah Dunlop

I own student flats and routinely put rent up in January. December is a good time to pore over the market rent figures on the back of the latest NZ Property
Investor Magazine to set my rents for the new year.

Jolene Bagby and Jacek Baranowski

Water damage is not uncommon and can become very costly for landlords. Next time you inspect your property, take a good look under the house where
the plumbing is for the bathroom, kitchen, and hot water cylinder to see if there are signs of any slow leaks. If you spot any, fix them straight
away.

Andrew Bruce

Some of us have empty rentals either through vacancy or tenants being on holiday. Take advantage of the summer downtime to tackle the run-of-the-mill maintenance
work you have been putting off all year. Sites like Student Job Search is an excellent place to hire someone to help you paint that fence or tidy up the front yard.

Kristine King, Duncan King Law

Use your time to prepare yourself personally and your properties to be in tip-top “legal condition” -including reviewing your documents and confirm all
is order, check the council files, refresh your understanding regarding the new obligations for the condition of your property and if possible arrange
the works required to be undertaken.

Rebecca Bartlett

If your tenancy agreement prohibits subletting or assignment without your consent then it is worth giving short-term rental sites like AirBnB a once-over
to make sure that your property is not listed on there. In the post-Holler era, there could be serious insurance implications if your rental is being sublet without you knowing.

Max Hall

Clean the lint filter in your dryer. We have had a wet spring this year which means your dryer was probably in heavy use. Clogged filters could make your
dryer a fire hazard if unattended.

Barry Walker, Keith Hay Homes

Everyone deserves a holiday but before you head off, make sure your construction site is well locked up and secured. Your health and safety obligations
do not disappear over summer. Things to check for are: secure fencing, all building materials well stacked and stored, clear warning signs, flammable
items removed, and no opportunities for unauthorised access.

Tony Xiao

Be sun smart. The Auckland sun is harsh on properties. Check your windows and doors for gaps. You can fix small gaps with caulk or weather stripping. Small
tears in window screens can be easily fixed when you follow this simple tutorial.