SearchCooking smell protection
Deny asks:
(updated on Wednesday, June 24th 2020)
I own a rental property in Wellington which has been looked after by a property manager. The tenant is doing cooking with strong odours regularly.
A condition of the contract states: "This property is to be left free of any odours from food preparation. If the tenant cooks food that leaves a cooking odour in the property, the tenant will be liable for the cost of removing that smell. This may include the cost of cleaning or replacing, curtains, carpets and paintwork."
Is that sufficient to cover me? Bond fund held may not be enough to replace curtains, carpets and paintwork. What should I do to keep my property protected in terms of this odour issue?
Our Experts Answer:
By 1 July 2021 all residential rental properties must comply with the Healthy Homes Standards, one of which relates to ventilation. Included in these is a requirement that all kitchens and bathrooms must have an extractor fan vented to the outside. The purpose of this standard is to ensure that cooking fumes and moisture are removed from the house. This should deal effectively with cooking odours and prevent cooking fumes from affecting curtains and furniture.
Of course, the tenant will have to turn on and use the extractor fan, in which case your recommended special condition will support you if the tenant does damage the property with cooking smells. The damage caused by a tenant’s carelessness is recoverable up to the lesser of four weeks’ bond or your insurance excess. However, I suggest that you won’t get far if your property doesn’t have an extractor fan to remove
cooking fumes from the kitchen.
Most Read
| Unity First Home Buyer special | 4.15 |
| SBS FirstHome Combo | 4.29 |
| ICBC | 4.49 |
| Kainga Ora | 4.59 |
| SBS Bank Special | 4.69 |
| Co-operative Bank - First Home Special | 4.74 |
| AIA - Go Home Loans | 4.75 |
| Unity Special | 4.80 |
| Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ | 4.84 |
| China Construction Bank | 4.85 |
| Kiwibank Special | 4.95 |
| Kainga Ora | 4.95 |
| China Construction Bank | 4.95 |
| ICBC | 4.99 |
| AIA - Go Home Loans | 5.25 |
| Unity Special | 5.29 |
| Co-operative Bank - First Home Special | 5.29 |
| SBS Bank Special | 5.29 |
| Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ | 5.39 |
| Kiwibank Special | 5.39 |
| ASB Bank | 5.45 |
| Westpac Special | 5.45 |
| SBS Bank Special | 5.49 |
| BNZ - Std | 5.49 |
| Westpac Special | 5.49 |
| ASB Bank | 5.59 |
| AIA - Go Home Loans | 5.59 |
| ICBC | 5.65 |
| Kiwibank Special | 5.69 |
| Kainga Ora | 5.69 |
| Co-operative Bank - First Home Special | 5.89 |
| Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ | 5.99 |
| TSB Special | 5.99 |
| SBS FirstHome Combo | 3.29 |
| AIA - Back My Build | 3.34 |
| SBS Construction lending for FHB | 3.74 |
| CFML 321 Loans | 4.20 |
| Co-operative Bank - Standard | 5.34 |
| Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ | 5.34 |
| ICBC | 5.39 |
| Kainga Ora | 5.79 |
| Heartland Bank - Online | 5.80 |
| SBS Bank | 5.84 |
| Pepper Money Prime | 5.99 |
