Yesterday afternoon the government outlined the next phase of its housing agenda which involves overhauling the Residential Tenancies Act once again. While we have come to
expect significant changes to the RTA under this government, we consider that which was announced to cause such major disruption to the landlord-tenant
dynamic as to further tip the balance of power away from landlords who, let’s not forget, are the legal owners of these rental properties. 

Therefore, we feel that it is important for organisations like ours to offer a guiding voice for landlords during these stressful times: 

1. Keep calm: Expect to panic 
It is important to know that one press statement doth not a law make. Yesterday’s announcements merely put forth the government’s intentions – a wish list,
so to speak. They are not statements of law. The legislative process is not yet trigged. There isn’t yet a bill in front of Parliament. Until that
happens, there are still a lot of salient details unknown to the public.
 
We’ve been here before. Every time anyone in the Beehive breathes a word against landlords, the internet voices become predictably irrational. Expect
a wave of ‘experts’ making doomsday prophecies based on the flawed premise that all tenants are by definition bad and act with malice. They are
not and they do not. Expect to be told that the end is nigh and that you should have dumped your portfolio yesterday. Both untrue.
 
Soon enough, new ‘industries’ will emerge offering solutions and guarantees that look to completely circumvent the new risks you now face. Some of
these industries are legitimate, others are simply leveraging off your fear.
 
You are going to feel a raft of emotions most...