Yes, landlords are asking us to find out if tenants are vaccinated, but we can’t – and there is new legislation coming to prevent us asking where they work and for how long, where they’ve lived before and how old they are. It’s just the normal sort of chatter as we show them around! Though the usual questions are out of the window, it is okay for them to offer us the information freely.
So, application forms are to be withdrawn from our website and Trade Me. Instead, we must send applications to prospective tenants – Privacy and Human Rights Acts are saying we ask too much information.
The changes are going to make choosing a suitable tenant more difficult. Also, we cannot keep personal information if tenants do not get the property – it must be binned, which of course we do.
We are not able to take photos of furniture in the home during inspections, only the maintenance work that is required to be done.
However, much of the legislation is still being worked on and will probably not be finalised until March.
What a year it has been for everybody! For now, let’s put these changes aside and focus on Christmas – buying lots of presents, drinking lots of coffee, going to the bars, gyms, and cinemas, and getting our hair done! Whatever will make it a very merry Christmas.
Let us finish this year with plenty of festive cheer.
Christmas wishes to all landlords.
Sylvia Lund
