Information for Tenants

After-hours Emergency Phone - 021 557 050

Non-urgent maintenance requests can be submitted further below under the Report Your Maintenance Issue tab. Please do not use this number for routine enquiries.

Welcome

Welcome to South Property Management where we will work with you to find the best quality home to fit within your parameters.

Please check our FAQs to find the answers to some of the most common questions you may have, or feel free to contact us, and our friendly, knowledgeable team will answer your questions.

After-hours Emergency Phone - 021 557 050
  • FAQS
  • Report your maintenance issue
  • Tenancy Application

How much does it cost to get into the property?

Four weeks bond and the first week's rent payment in advance.

Can I view the property after work or in the weekends?

We will do our best to accommodate your schedule, although most viewings are scheduled around midday during the week.

Why do fixed-term tenancies end in the summer?

In Dunedin, the peak season for non-student rentals is January/February. Ending a tenancy at this time benefits both tenants, who will have a wider choice of properties, and landlords, who have a larger pool of potential tenants.

I am in a fixed-term tenancy but I need to get out, what can I do to get out of my tenancy?

The Residential Tenancies Act states that fixed-term tenancies cannot be ended with notice at any other time than the end of the fixed term.

However, where possible, we can help you find replacement tenants to take over your tenancy (please note that the ability for replacement tenants to take over your lease is often but not always possible). This process requires you to pay for any costs associated with finding tenants, including any costs that the owner would not have incurred if your tenancy continued to completion, such as checkout/check in inspections and advertising etc.

You remain responsible for the property, including gardens and the rent, until the replacement tenants take over your tenancy. Please contact us for more information.

We are students and are looking for a property for next year. Is this property available then?

Most of our properties are available at the time or shortly after they are listed. If you are looking for a property outside the typical student area, it is unlikely that they will be advertised more than one to two months before they are available.

I am concerned about rent increases, especially in a fixed-term tenancy. Will my rent increase?

Rents are reviewed regularly and increases are based on market conditions and general inflation. By law, rent can only be increased once every 12 months but only if at least 12 months have passed since the start of your tenancy.

Both landlords and ourselves value reliable long-term tenants, so it is common for rent increases to be kept to a minimum for longer term tenants. Owners save on costs associated with tenant turnover, and tenants benefit from lower rents — a win-win for everyone.

How much warning do I get that my rent might increase?

Under the Residential Tenancy Act, we are required to give you at least 60 days' written notice before a rent increase.

What do I need to do if I have a maintenance issue or an appliance that has stopped working properly?

If you have a maintenance issue please put in a request via our maintenance form on our website. Once submitted, you will receive an email and your property manager will be notified. If the issue needs immediate attention please can call the office on 03 487 8351.

If your request is urgent and outside business hours, please call our emergency number on 021 557 050. Please note that for any emergency call-outs that are found to not need immediate attention or are a user error, the cost of the callout is on-charged to the tenant.

Please ensure you check all common causes before lodging a maintenance request as sometimes it can be as simple as a blown fuse, a blocked sink from rice/fat etc., or an error reading on the dishwasher is due to the filters not being cleaned regularly.

It's cold and it doesn't seem to matter how high I set my heat pump, it stops working and blows cold air.

Heat pumps work best around 19ºC - 21ºC or they freeze up, therefore setting the heat pump on high temperatures such as 25 or 30 degrees is counterproductive.

Heat pumps can also blow cold air during very cold weather, to defrost the outdoor unit. This is normal, and it should be back to heating in a few minutes.