WOFs Move to South Island with New Zealand’s First Private HWOF
HWOF Offers Christchurch’s Property Managers, Landlords a Premium WoF Service
Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand – December 7th, 2017 – As voluntary Rental Warrants of Fitness (WoF) in Wellington hit the headlines across the nation in August, one
entrepreneur saw a golden opportunity for a business model that would benefit tenants, landlords, and property managers
in Christchurch.
The news sparked the genesis of HWOF, a Home Warrant of Fitness property inspection service that offers property owners
a comprehensive report that covers over thirty areas of maintenance.
Unlike Wellington’s voluntary WoFs, HWOF’s inspections also include a “Service for your Home” to take care of odd jobs
such as light bulb replacement, checking smoke alarms, and other miscellaneous, small jobs. The company’s dedication to
providing a superior service means that while most inspectors might take no longer than forty-five minutes to conclude a
test with a Pass / Fail grade, HWOF remains onsite for up to four hours.
“As the new Labour government has come into power, we believe that WoFs – especially rental WoFs – will become
compulsory across New Zealand at some point. Right now, opinion is largely mixed when it comes to property owners, but
we believe that as the benefits become clearer, they will understand just how much value a WoF can offer them
financially,” said Charles Arthur, the manager of HWOF.
While many landlords remain on the fence about the utility of such a service and the extra cost it might mean, the
ongoing success of the Wellingtonian voluntary WoF program has revealed that it benefits them as much as it does the
tenants. More and more tenants are giving preferential treatments to landlords and property managers who have shown that
they take their responsibility to provide good quality housing seriously.
In Wellington, the city council became the first in New Zealand to introduce a voluntary WoF for rental properties. “We
want to lift rental standards in our city and make better accommodation available for people. Every Wellingtonian
deserves a warm, dry home,” said Mayor Justin Lester of Wellington. “This will give landlords the chance to promote
their house as being warm and dry, and give prospective renters an assurance the home they are looking to live in meets
the standard.”
HWOF’s packages are similar to those on offer in Wellington, and there are packages available to suit different needs.
The Inspection Report can include meth testing with lab results, insulation reports, mould and damp testing, and home
security checks.
The general HWOF service offers checks for heat pump servicing, smoke alarm installation, and maintenance, mould
treatment where possible, unblocking of drains, and roof gutter cleaning. Put together, this is a comprehensive home
inspection that can be carried out on a semi-regular basis by property owners to ensure that they are renting properties
to tenants which are meeting a high general standard of living.
Landlords and property managers also have the added bonus of knowing that their property is well maintained, with an
Inspection Report on file making bond disputes easier thanks to proof, rather than a mess of tenant accusations with no
documentation to protect them.
HWOF operates in Christchurch; the company has stated that for the time being, there are no plans for expansion into
other areas. As more tenants across New Zealand come to understand that property which meets WoF standards represents a
modern, clean home, it is expected that landlords and property managers alike will adopt them as a part of their own
social contract – voluntary or not.
For more information about HWOF’s philosophy, extensive services, area of operation and opening hours, please visit https://www.hwof.co.nz/. For media inquiries, please contact Charles Arthur at +64 21 252 2182 or email at charlie@hwof.co.nz.
About HWOF
HWOF – which stands for Home Warrant of Fitness – offers comprehensive property inspections across Christchurch,
available in various packages to suit every need and budget. Rather than just Pass or Fail properties, HWOF inspectors
also identify and fix issues onsite where possible. For more information, please visit HWOF’s website.
Website: https://www.hwof.co.nz/
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