Keeping good records is all part of being a good landlord. It's actually the law, plus it makes good sense.

So what does keeping good records actually mean? Let's take a look at an example of a landlord keeping good records as he complies with the healthy homes heating standard.

Jasper is a landlord and is wanting to get his rental property up to standard. He has read up on exactly what's needed for the heating standard(external link), and then gone in to collect all the required details(external link) of the main living room in his rental property. Jasper has then used the heating assessment tool(external link) on the Tenancy Services website to find out what size heater is needed. He prints the report off and saves it on his computer in his new healthy homes standards folder.

From the heating assessment report Jasper realises that the current heating in his rental property would not meet the standard. He has a look into fixed heating devices and decides a heat pump might be a good option. He then contacts a professional tradesperson to get the work done. He keeps all the invoices, receipts and heating appliance documentation to show he's done what's required.

Here's Jasper's checklist for the heating standard:

  • Read the Raise the Standard and Tenancy Services website to make sure I understand what I need to do.
  • Give my tenant at least 24 hours' notice for inspection stating it's to do work to prepare to comply with the healthy homes standards.
  • Collect all the information I need, so I know what work needs to be done. Keep these records!
  • Use the heating assessment tool and save the report that shows the heating capacity needed for the main living room.
  • Keep receipts, tradesperson invoice details, heat pump specification details and any other relevant documents.
  • File it all away in my healthy homes standards folder.

Jasper now has all the information he needs to help show that he has complied with the healthy homes heating standard. This information will also make it easy to complete the healthy homes compliance statement(external link) too.

Sometime down the track the Tenancy Compliance and Investigations team might like to have chat to Jasper about his rental property, or there could be a case that leads to the Tenancy Tribunal needing Jasper's healthy homes standards records. Because Jasper has kept good records this is no sweat. He can simply provide them and show he's done everything that's needed for a warm, dry and healthy rental property.

Remember keeping good records is all part of being good landlord.