物业经理 - Lower Hutt

What Lower Hutt property management actually costs

On a $580/week Lower Hutt rental at 8%, management fees come to about $46/week, or roughly $2,400 a year. Add the letting fee (around 1 week rent, so $580 each time a tenant changes), inspection fees ($75-100 each, usually 3-4 per year), and a maintenance markup (commonly 10-15% on top of every tradie invoice), and the real annual cost lands closer to $3,500-5,000 per property before any significant repairs. The older timber housing common across the valley means heating and moisture call-outs are not unusual.

I have four Auckland rentals and self-manage all of them. The maths only works if you are genuinely willing to field the calls and understand the Residential Tenancies Act, but for a lot of Hutt landlords it does work, especially when the property is a short drive away.

Five questions to ask before you sign

1. What is your letting fee, exactly? Most Hutt managers charge around 1 week rent to place a tenant, but some charge more. On a $580/week property that is real money. Ask for the figure in writing before you sign.
2. Do you add a markup to maintenance invoices? Industry standard is 10-15% on top of tradie quotes. Ask whether it applies, ask for it to be waived, or at minimum ask to approve any job over $500 before it proceeds.
3. How do you handle Healthy Homes compliance? A lot of valley stock is older and needs heating and insulation work to comply. Ask whether assessment and remediation tracking is included or charged on top.
4. How quickly do you act on rent arrears? Ask for their policy in writing: how many days overdue before they notify you, and how many before they file with the Tenancy Tribunal. The longer a manager waits, the deeper the hole.
5. What are the notice periods on this agreement? For you to exit and for them to terminate. Some management agreements have 90-day exit clauses or a fixed initial term. Know what you are signing.

How to switch property managers in Lower Hutt

Serve written notice as required by your management agreement (typically 30-90 days), and check for any fixed initial term. The handover itself is more straightforward than most landlords expect. Under s.47 of the Residential Tenancies Act, you or your new manager must give the tenant written notice of the new contact person and where to pay rent. Bond held by Tenancy Services stays with the tenancy, so there is no need to re-lodge it. Request the full tenant file from the outgoing manager: the tenancy agreement, the original application and references, all inspection reports, and the maintenance history. You are entitled to all of it.

Manage your Lower Hutt rental yourself

RentManager NZ handles rent tracking, bond lodgement, inspection scheduling, arrears notices, Healthy Homes compliance dates, and Tenancy Tribunal paperwork, built for NZ landlords who want to stay in control without paying someone else thousands a year. From $9/month.

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