It is crucial for landlords to ensure the space they rent out is habitable and safe.
A Manurewa landlord has been ordered to pay damages after illegally renting out a converted garage as a separate household unit.

Satya Silan will have to refund $15,840 in rent and pay $750 in damages to a family with a young child after an investigation by the Tenancy Tribunal which began last year.
“Our investigations found that the Auckland Council had issued Mr Silan notices to cease using the premises as a third household unit and to remove unconsented building works, reverting the building back to a standalone garage,” said Steve Watson, manager of the Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team was formed in July last year to monitor and enforce compliance with the Residential Tenancy Act 1986.
 
Read more here: Manurewa landlord fined for renting garage to young family