Could you have to pay back all the rent, if the house is mouldy?

[Don't believe the Hype]

If you have really done everything you can and communicated well but you are still having tenant issues a Xbox feel you're exposed to problems with them going forward why would you renew at any price? There is too much demand for you to take on troublesome tenants.

[Meehole]

I own the upstairs of a central Wellington villa. For six years I have tried to get the downstairs to agree to a new roof and early this year they agreed. However agreement on the quote to accept took time, and the contractor whose quote we accepted has now let us down"

I think that there is more than 1 roofing contractor in Wellington. Just do it, get it fixed and no more worries about the tenant taking you to the tribunal for a leaky roof. For the sake of preserving your asset you should get it fixed, leaving it will only cause more damage. If you can't afford to own the property then sell it.

[Perry]

The number of roofing contractors is not the nub of it.

Eugene mentioned that getting the other building owner to agree on a contractor's quote is the problem.

[Meehole]

The number of roofing contractors is not the nub of it.

Eugene mentioned that getting the other building owner to agree on a contractor's quote is the problem.

He said he got him to agree to a price and now they want to go ahead he has been let down by said contractor.
In Wellington where earthquake repairs are rife, getting a contractor to do a cheap job when they have insurance work will be near impossible. And I say cheap as most landlords don't like to pay market prices for repairs and maintenance if they have a choice.
If he has a quote it will have a scope of works on it and he only needs to send that scope to other roofers to have them cost the same. So easy.
We are in Auckland and have owners in Wellington wanting us to come down and do work for them.

[Perry]

You seem to be agreeing . . .

It's getting the other owner's consent to the repair quote that's slowing things down.

That's as opposed to there being a shortage of roofing contractors.

[Meehole]

You seem to be agreeing . . .

It's getting the other owner's consent to the repair quote that's slowing things down.

That's as opposed to there being a shortage of roofing contractors.

He doesn't say how much time it took to get the owner to agree to the quote, most are valid anywhere from 30 - 90 days. The fact of the matter is that the roofer has let them down for some reason. If he had a signed agreement and paid a deposit then he could be in a better position as there is a valid contract.
Six years this has been going on, he just needs to get it sorted as I said. Hopefully he got an agreement from the other owner in writing?

[Viking]

If it will stand it put the rent up anyway. Labour are going to stop us lifting rents more than once a year. Get in before they do.

There is a product called liquid rubber that you can buy online or Mega 10. Paint it on over the leaky bits. When applied by an approved applicator has a 10 year warranty. Look up there website and find out who in Wellington. Save you a heap as well.

[artemis]

......
..... So I get an email back acknowledging I act in good faith, attend to repairs and other matters promptly, and that they know I have done my utmost to fix the roof.

I am thinking about what to do.
Let them go to avoid risk of refunding a heap of rent
Put the rent up and have a reduction until the roof is fixed
Put the rent up a lot and have a reduction until the roof is fixed

Thank you

Consider a new tenancy agreement with conditions and related information clearly spelt out.

We have a Wellington city fringe place that leaks 2 or 3 times a year in specific very bad weather conditions. What we did was include this info in the vacancy ad and tenancy agreement, and offer - decently reduced rent, commercial carpet dryer on request, updates on what is being done to remedy (not simple). Also gave them a week's free rent after one particularly wild storm.

Current tenants have been there a year now and no indication they are looking to leave.

Wellington rental numbers are falling, some media reports say plummeting. With the Healthy Homes Guarantee legislation, leaking will presumably not be allowed. Those new regs are some way off but owners of rentals will be able to sell to owner occupiers. That'll be interesting if sales are publicised as being for owner occupiers only.

[Eugene]

Thank you for your comments
I appreciate the help

[Eugene]

He doesn't say how much time it took to get the owner to agree to the quote, most are valid anywhere from 30 - 90 days. The fact of the matter is that the roofer has let them down for some reason. If he had a signed agreement and paid a deposit then he could be in a better position as there is a valid contract.
Six years this has been going on, he just needs to get it sorted as I said. Hopefully he got an agreement from the other owner in writing?

Emails.
Ongoing.
Thank you

[Eugene]

If it will stand it put the rent up anyway. Labour are going to stop us lifting rents more than once a year. Get in before they do.

There is a product called liquid rubber that you can buy online or Mega 10. Paint it on over the leaky bits. When applied by an approved applicator has a 10 year warranty. Look up there website and find out who in Wellington. Save you a heap as well.

Other owner is interested in an application like this, I am reluctant as iron is in terrible shape, also house is nice and has high resale potential - the spray on would be less widely understood

[Eugene]

If you have really done everything you can and communicated well but you are still having tenant issues a Xbox feel you're exposed to problems with them going forward why would you renew at any price? There is too much demand for you to take on troublesome tenants.

Yes, thanks, I agree; sometimes I think I need to toughen up and not be so nice