Providing accommodation for your workers can be a great way to attract and retain talent, especially in industries like horticulture and agriculture. This arrangement known as a service tenancy comes with specific legal duties. If you haven't reviewed your agreements recently, you could be exposed to significant risks.
This includes checking that your service tenancy agreements include all required statements. These include;
- A Healthy Homes Standards Compliance Statement where you must declare the current level of compliance to the standards
- An Insurance Statement to inform the tenant of the excess amount for any policy and if it covers the tenant’s liability for damage.
The legal landscape for employers as landlords is constantly evolving, and what was compliant a few years ago may no longer be sufficient. Some initial checks to look for are;
- Does your service tenancy agreement clearly separate employment and tenancy matters?
- Is the property you provide to employees fully compliant with the Healthy Homes Standards?
- Does your tenancy agreement include the required compliance and insurance statements?
If you’re unsure whether your service tenancy agreements are current and fit for purpose get in touch with team@growhr.co.nz