Our Experts Answer:
The Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (the Act) does not specifically make reference to aerials or antennas. Under the Act, landlords have an obligation to maintain the premises in a reasonable state of repair, which may include maintaining aerials or antennas where one is provided by the landlord as part of the tenancy. However, where an aerial or antenna is not provided as part of the tenancy, there is no specific obligation on a landlord to provide one. Where an aerial or antenna is present at the premises but is not provided or included as part of the tenancy, the landlord should notify the tenants that the facility is excluded from the tenancy agreement to ensure all parties are well aware of what is included prior to entering into a tenancy arrangement, and to avoid any misunderstanding. I suggest you discuss the matter with your tenant to try and reach an agreement in the first instance (also noting that the Sky dish remains the property of Sky (and not the landlord), and the problem or connection issues may be resolved by discussing the matter directly with Sky). If an agreement cannot be reached, either party may apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to have the matter resolved. Also worth noting is that where a tenant wishes to install any fixture to the premises, they need to obtain the prior written consent of the landlord (which the landlord cannot unreasonably withhold). In this situation, the landlord and tenant should agree what will happen to the fixture at the end of the tenancy (e.g. if the fixture is to be removed by the tenant, and responsibility for damage caused during removal), with the details of that agreement recorded in writing, preferably on the tenancy agreement. To discuss your situation further, or for information about making an application to the Tenancy Tribunal, you can visit the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment – Building and Housing Group’s website (www.dbh.govt.nz), or call 0800 TENANCY (0800 836 262).
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