October 13th 2017.
Just to continue on the subject of property managers having to be licensed.Billions of dollars of rental properties are in the hands of property management companies,yet to the present time they have no rules governing their business practices.Calls for its inclusion in rules for real estate agents were rejected by the National Government in the early 1990's.Despite the fact that more New Zealanders are in the rental market,today there are more renters than home owners.
So no one is keeping an eye out for complaints from about property managers behaviour from those seeking accommodation.Regulation of property managers is the norm in most other developed countries in the world,overseas property managers have to be licensed and meet minimum qualification requirements.But in New Zealand it is the wild west,cowboy country.
Here in New Zealand property managers have total power and control over those seeking accommodation. They require a letter from your employer or WINZ,you require a drivers licence or passport for ID,they want your car registration number,credit checks are also a required. On some tenancy agreements methampetamine tests can be conducted,even though this is still to be approved by the justice system at present.The Manawatu Tenants Union is of the opinion that landlords should make sure that their rental is free from P and safe to be lived in by tenants,they should be tested if required after every tenancy.
It should be noted that tenants know nothing of their landlord or the property managers character,being licensed would help readdress the imbalance in this business relationship.This imbalance will happen as renters demand a fairer system when seeking rental accommodation all it will take is the political will from central government.
