4 reasons why health, safety and security must be a priority
While in our own homes, we are aware of certain risks around our property, it’s a different matter when it comes to a rental property. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is a critical consideration in any workplace or living environment, and this includes rental properties.
OHS standards are in place to protect individuals from potential hazards and landlords have a responsibility to provide a safe living environment for their tenants.
These regulations come with other benefits too:
- Keeps your property maintained
All properties have a variety of risks, such as faulty wiring, slippery floors, or inadequate lighting. By adhering to OHS standards, landlords can identify and address these hazards before they cause harm to tenants. This also ensures the landlord is on top of maintenance, and potentially prevents costly maintenance later down the track.
Plus, any essential maintenance costs related to OHS can probably be claimed as a tax deductible expense – it’s a win-win situation!
- Avoids costly legal expenses
As well as complying with the legal standards, a huge reason for staying on top of OHS is the potential legal costs; if a tenant is injured due to a hazard in the rental property, the landlord could be held liable for negligence. This in turn could potentially affect what your landlord insurance is prepared to pay out on.
- Tenant satisfaction
There’s a lot to be said for tenant satisfaction, and feeling safe and secure is a contributing factor; if a tenant feels safe in their home, and it is well maintained, they are more likely to stay.
Landlords to have a legal obligation to provide and maintain locks or other security devices to ensure the property is reasonably secure, and your property is protected.
- Demonstrates professionalism
Adhering to all the OHS regulations also demonstrates professionalism and care for tenants. It shows that the landlord is committed to providing a high standard of living and values the well-being of their tenants. As well as tenant retention, this in turn often encourages tenants to care more for your asset.
To find out more about your landlord health, safety and security legal obligations visit the dedicated NSW Fair Trading page here.
A good property manager knows the law, will only use reputable contractors and will keep you informed of any legal changes that affect you or your tenant. This gives you peace of mind your property is legal and you’re always acting with the law.
If you would like to know more about your legal obligations as a landlord, property management in general or the benefits of our property management services, our knowledgeable and experienced team would love to help. With nearly 50 years of business in the area, we are one of Newcastle’s longest established real estate offices.
Give us a call on 02 4956 9777, send us an email to mail@newcastlepropertymanagement.com.au or pop into our Cardiff office for a chat.
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