Landlords prepare for influx

After 35 years in the property game, Cliff Seque has seen it all and offers a range of options for landlords wanting to "bullet-proof" their student flats.

While some students had returned to Dunedin to attend Summer School, the largest influx was expected in February.

Many of them would be living in student flats.

Mr Seque and his wife began cleaning out their flats before Christmas in preparation for new tenants. While some had been left tidy, others were far from it.

Vomit-stained carpets, mouldy pots and pans and walls pock-marked with holes were among the sights which greeted them.

One flat in particular was "disgusting" and took up to 20 hours to clean.

He laughed this off by saying: "You get the good with the bad."

As president of the Otago Property Investors Association, he had heard of other similar experiences from members, who regularly shared advice and stories.

"Quite often with the stories there is a message."

The association, which has about 800 members, accounted for about two-thirds of the property in North Dunedin's student area, he said.

As well as cleaning up, many landlords undertook renovations over the summer.

He believed in "building in prevention" for damage.

"It's easier to do it now than argue about it later on," he said, in terms of getting students to pay for harm caused during their tenancy.

Mr Seque had a range of "common sense" tips for landlords when it came to renovating or repairing property which he had "learned by experience".

It was important to deter tenants from punching or kicking holes in walls and doors.

He recommended replacing gib board with medium density fibreboard (MDF), which was one of the easiest ways to "bulletproof" the property.

"You can break your toes on that," he said with a grin.

When it came to doors, a solid core or thicker panels were suitable as they "took bigger knocks".

For bathrooms, having a fan attached to the light left them "no choice" but to cut down on moisture negatively affecting the property.

A drain in the floor also helped inhibit flooding.

Another flood preventer was a separate drain for the washing machine which meant the laundry tub, if blocked, would not overflow.

For trimmings, oil gloss paint allowed messes to be wiped off more easily, dark carpet helped hide stains and commercial grade vinyl held its own against harsh treatment, he said.

In the kitchen, a stainless steel bench-top proved more durable than laminate or wood.

Students were also becoming more demanding.

One of the first questions they asked was what form of heating the flat had, Mr Seque said.

Landlords were now commonly installing heat pumps and dishwashers to meet demand.

Platinum Properties, a property management business which managed about 100 students flats in Dunedin, had also been busy preparing flats for new tenants, owner Ewan McComb said.

Carpets had been cleaned and minor repairs had been made, such as fixing leaking taps, reattaching curtain rods to walls and patching holes in walls.

"The bottom line is, it's a service that is provided," Mr McComb said.

He did not have any tips to protect property from damage, saying instead the best way to have a property looked after was to have a good relationship with the tenants.

"Finding a good landlord is just as important as finding a good flat."