to me. Obviously a 3 bedroom place.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/renting/124118527/w
hen-is-a-lounge-also-a-bedroom-wellingtons-rentals-reignite-
calls-for-residential-wof

sweetgurl108 - 2021-02-25 13:08:00

More red tape, cost and bureaucracy.
Yep. That'll sure fix it.

pcle - 2021-02-25 13:39:00

“When you are a landlord you are running a business, it’s not a hobby. A business has costs and compliance. If you don’t like it, sell. It's not as if you won't profit on the capital gains.

“We need landlords, but we need professional, educated landlords who understand both their rights and their responsibilities.”

Sounds good to me.
What course will the tenants also be required to go on?
Surely they are more than happy to pay extra for great service!

pcle - 2021-02-25 13:42:00

Random questions.
How big and usable was the kitchen / common area the previous tenants were happy with using to reduce each share of the rent?
How much sympathy should tenants be given when they take a tenancy sight unseen, but presumable checking out the photos?
How would a rental warrant of fitness have helped?
How happy was the property manager to have avoided these tenants?

artemis - 2021-02-25 15:16:00

Or the property manager could have just been honest and avoided a of this silliness.

sparkychap - 2021-02-25 16:24:00

They should absolutely spell out if they are counting the lounge as a bedroom, because it's not the norm.
Like a longdrop, you would want it spelled out because indoor plumbing is the norm.
I think it was a rubbish response from the managers that the previous tenants had used it as a 4 bedroom so they just advertised it that way, and were then surprised that the prospective tenants wanted a 'larger/separate living area'. Separate living area is the norm!

huggy5 - 2021-02-25 17:59:00

sparkychap wrote:

Or the property manager could have just been honest and avoided a of this silliness.

Exactly, it is clearly a 3 bedroom place.

nzkiwisnz - 2021-02-25 17:59:00

Not that I am playing devil's advicate here. but a third year law student had to ask for advice on what to do?, even I know, with no formal law eduaction that it was a missrepresentation and that there is no question the money should be refunded.

curlcrown - 2021-02-25 18:22:00

curlcrown wrote:

Not that I am playing devil's advicate here. but a third year law student had to ask for advice on what to do?, even I know, with no formal law eduaction that it was a missrepresentation and that there is no question the money should be refunded.

done a law degree have you?

gabbysnana - 2021-02-25 18:59:00

gabbysnana wrote:

done a law degree have you?

Should've gone to Specksavers.

curlcrown - 2021-02-25 19:33:00

curlcrown wrote:

Not that I am playing devil's advicate here. but a third year law student had to ask for advice on what to do?, even I know, with no formal law eduaction that it was a missrepresentation and that there is no question the money should be refunded.

Not a full refund as of right although that might be an option. Generally the difference between three and four bedrooms would be awarded.

Edited by johnston at 8:06 pm, Thu 25 Feb

johnston - 2021-02-25 20:05:00

I think if you were selling this you would not describe it as four bedrooms. Might say 'three bedrooms and an enterprising buyer might have a flatmate to live in the large lounge as a bedroom to help with the mortgage'.

I would call it misrepresentation.

shanreagh - 2021-02-26 09:14:00

shanreagh wrote:

I think if you were selling this you would not describe it as four bedrooms. Might say 'three bedrooms and an enterprising buyer might have a flatmate to live in the large lounge as a bedroom to help with the mortgage'.

I would call it misrepresentation.

Undoubtedly and likely a breach of the Fair Trading Act.

Edited by johnston at 10:13 am, Fri 26 Feb

johnston - 2021-02-26 10:03:00

sparkychap wrote:

Or the property manager could have just been honest and avoided a of this silliness.

agree, their response that the previous tenant used the lounge as a bedroom so that's how they advertised it was a crap answer, and given because they know their target demographic may not be all that clued up as to their rights. Even says in the article that the PM was not happy the student called the council for advice......

phoenix22 - 2021-02-26 10:22:00