Property Management Expert
Bathroom heating obligations?
Melissa asks:
What are the landlord's obligations regarding heating/ventilation in the bathroom? From reading previous answers about heating, I gather there are no specific requirements. What would be a situation where installation of a heating device in the bathroom would be deemed necessary? We have none but there is just a small extractor fan in the toilet which can be closed off from the bathroom. The bathroom is also the laundry. It is freezing already (we live in Dunedin) and there is a lot of condensation after showers. There are no electrical sockets in there and the only thing we can think of doing is getting an extension cord out from the living room to plug a fan heater in the bathroom. Is there anything we could do to get the landlord to remedy the situation?
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Privacy around inspection photos
Lisa asks:
Can the property management company who cares for my properties take photos during an inspection if the tenant has concerns and has not given permission for any photos to be taken (apart from any damage that has not previously been noted)? Is this invasion of the tenant's privacy?
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High power bill problem
Colin asks:
I have a three-bedroom house rented out with three people living in it. The tenants called to say their electricity bill for the last two months was over $2,000. Their electricity supplier advised that the readings are correct and that the controlled rate (hot water) is excessively high. The tenants have asked to have the hot water cylinder checked out by a electrician. My question is firstly, if the hot water cylinder is found to be at fault for the excessive electricity usage then who is liable for the excess on the electricity bill? Also, if the hot water cylinder is found to be working correctly and no other electrical fault could be found as to what caused the high electricity usage (other than the tenants did actually use that much electricity) then can I charge the tenants for the cost of the electrician's work?
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