IMPORTANT changes to rental laws during emergency period (COVID-19)
New laws have commenced which affect tenants, property owners and agents. Read about the COVID-19 Disease (Emergency Provisions) Act 2020 and the changes to:
It is an owner’s responsibility to maintain a rental property in good repair at all times during a tenancy. There are different rules for:
- general repairs
- urgent repairs
- emergency repairs.
Length of time for repairs
An owner must have general repairs (that are not the fault of the tenant) completed within 28 days of the tenant telling them of the need for the repair.
Exception
There is an exception – if the general repair relates to a cooking stove. In this situation the stove must be fixed within 14 days of being notified.
If the repairs are urgent or emergency repairs, they must be completed as soon as possible. Urgent repairs relate to essential services such as emergency repairs due to damage to the property.