Property Owner’s Duty of Care

We have all heard of tragic deaths resulting from house fires, faulty construction & carbon monoxide poisoning, to name a few. It is vital that property owners are aware of the potential risks and the importance of maintaining the rental property to a safe standard. In this blog we highlight the risks associated with construction of things such as timber decks, balconies and hand railings.

If someone is hurt or suffers a loss in a rental property, they will seek compensation from the property owner.

Our routine inspection reports detail the renter’s cleanliness and care of the property, as well as suggested maintenance requirements. However, we are not qualified to make an assessment of the risks associated with areas such as decks, balconies, glass, steps, hand rails and safety switches.

Accordingly we suggest that a contractor be appointed to make an assessment of the property and report the risk and state of repair of these areas in order to minimise your risk and minimise the risk of injury to a third party.

In the age of litigation that we are in, it is paramount that property investors have a pro-active approach to reducing their risk by arranging a regular due diligence program on the state of repair of their investment property.

Not only will having a building assessment report reduce the chances of serious injury, it will also assist in mitigating your financial loss should there be a public liability/injury claim lodged against you. Additionally, the report will highlight areas of preventative maintenance that will actually save you money in the long term and will also give you peace of mind and the potential of higher rental returns.

We can arrange for an assessment to be undertaken on your behalf or you can appoint a builder or a qualified contractor to report as to the state of repair and any estimated costs involved in rectifying these areas.