Celebrating tenant-landlord relationships

The Tenant of the Year awards, run by the Waikato Property Investors' Association (WPIA), announced winners on Wednesday, November 25, with Sean Coneglan and Louise Taylor taking out the overall prize of one month's free rent, while five other Waikato tenants won in sub-categories.

The competition, coined by WPIA president and one of the judges Nancy Caiger, came about after frustration earlier in the year over the negative press surrounding property investors and the landlord/tenant relationship.

She says "the negative press was often about tenants from hell which was why we wanted to give the vast majority of tenants due recognition".

Caiger says the awards were also in an effort to further educate landlords of the importance of the relationships they have with their tenants and highlighting the fact that property investment is not based solely on the numbers, but on customer service as well.

"Property investing is a business and we try to do the most professional job we are able," she says.

"As an association we try and educate our members as best we can through high-quality speakers and workshops. The tenant side of the business is just as important as the numbers."

The categories and also criteria for the competition included looking at the relationship between tenants and landlords, maintenance and care of the property, maintenance and care of the grounds, relationship with neighbours and the surrounding community, plus rent paid on time, every time.

The awards also help to celebrate the respect many landlords and tenants have for each other, plus the fact that good tenants can influence landlords to take better care of their rental properties and stay on top of maintenance.

 "They have encouraged us to keep the property in excellent condition" says Coneglan and Taylor's landlord Anne Walmsley.

Caiger says she was blown away by the winning couple and the effort they put into their rental property.

"As a landlord myself and president of the association, I was totally overwhelmed by Sean and Louise."

Caiger hopes they will inspire other associations around the country to adopt a similar competition, in celebration of the mutual benefit to tenants and landlords.

THE WINNERS
Overall Tenant of the Year: Sean Coneglan and Louise Taylor
Relationship with landlord: Edwin Taylor and Jo Ball
Presentation and care of property: Gary and Sharon Usher
Presentation and care of grounds: Toto Aranador and Nesthea Adores
Relationship with tenants' neighbours: Sean Coneglan and Louise Taylor
Rent paid on time, every time: Karen and Jeff Morton