PM - DIY and duty of care

DIY and duty of care

According to new research from various online sources, Australia is feeling the ‘Block Effect’ in many other ways; mostly causing homeowners to think about renovating. Many online job posting sites recorded upswings in various home improvement job related postings online. Amazingly there was also a large correlation found between the types of projects seen on “The Block” and “House Rules” (for example, kitchens, bathrooms) and similar jobs being posted online. And, according to one of the large banks, the demand for renovation services will continue to grow as homeowners look towards increasing the value of their properties, as well as making them more livable.

If you are interested in property, shows like “the Block” are super entertaining, and it may be fun to visualise yourself as a bit of a ‘handyperson’. However, there is some other interesting research which suggests you should perhaps hold back a bit, particularly when it comes to your investment or rental property.

Even before shows like “The Block”, many a homeowner has attempted repairs and renovations themselves to try to save a bit of money. However, the irony is that this can eventually cost them more!

Popular classifieds site Gumtree’s Annual Tradie Research Report suggested that up to 75% of homeowners have attempted their own repair or renovation at some point; the same research also suggesting that as many as one in five homeowners have ‘bungled’ a DIY job. This has resulted in more than $380 million spent on tradesperson fixes!

While we appreciate that it’s important to manage expenses carefully when it comes to repairs or even renovating, these latest statistics also highlight the need to make sure that all maintenance to your rental property is carried out by professional, licensed and insured tradespeople.

The reason for this is that there is a duty of care placed on all parties to ensure that repairs or renovations are completed with your tenant’s safety firmly in mind.