Auckland apartment residents told not to dry washing on balconies to maintain building’s ‘stylish’ aesthetic
Friday, 13 December 2024
An Auckland apartment building has banned residents from drying washing on their balconies.
An email to residents said the rule was in place to maintain its stylish aesthetic.
A renters advocate said damp and mould caused by having wet clothes indoors could cause health problems.
Residents at an Auckland apartment building have been told they’re not allowed to dry washing on their balconies to maintain its ‘stylish’ aesthetic.
The notice emailed to residents at Resido - the country’s largest build-to-rent apartment development in Mt Wellington - stated it was a breach of its community guidelines to dry washing on balconies.
“As much as we all love the fresh scent of laundry drying in the breeze, hanging washing on balconies is actually a breach of our community guidelines, the email said.
“It’s all about maintaining the aesthetic and keeping the vibe of our shared spaces stylish and clutter-free.”
The notice asked residents to consider using indoor drying racks or tumble dryers instead.
When Stuff visited Resido, at least three balconies had washing drying on them.
One resident, who didn’t want to be named to avoid repercussions, said using a dryer would bump up electricity prices.
Does your apartment building have any bizarre rules? Email caroline.williams@stuff.co.nz
Renters United president Zac Thomas said tenants should have the right to dry their laundry outside.
Drying clothes indoors could lead to houses becoming damp and mouldy, he added
“Telling people to do this inside, that can create a health risk,” Thomas said.
According to research by the University of Otago, damp or mouldy homes resulted in more than 35,000 nights spent in hospital per year, costing the health system around $35 million.
It was “disappointing” Resido had adopted rules against drying washing on balconies, Thomas said, as it had seemed a more progressive development, especially by allowing tenants to have pets, Thomas said.
Apartment buildings “around the world” allowed laundry on balconies with no issue, he said.
With the Government set to bring back no-cause evictions in 2025, Thomas worried rules against drying laundry on balconies left concerned tenants on the back foot.
“Tenants will be fearful to complain about them because they can be kicked out.
“It creates a culture of fear which mean they’re less likely to exercise their rights.”
In a statement, Kiwi Property - which owns Resido and neighbouring Sylvia Park Shopping Centre, said tenants were given a copy of the community rules when they moved into the building.
The rule stated residents must not erect any clothes lines, poles or drying apparatuses, or hang clothes or laundry items on their balconies.
A Kiwi Property spokesperson added that the rules were “standard practice in the industry and serve both aesthetic and practical purposes such as health and safety.”
“While it may not be the residents’ preference to hang or dry washing inside, our apartments were designed to accommodate this process. Each apartment is equipped with brand-new eco-friendly whiteware and automatic systems that supplement fresh air into apartments while dryers are running.”
Metro Law principal and barrister specialising in property law Michael Hemphill said tenants had an obligation to obey the rules of the property they live in.
In an apartment building, those rules are likely set by a body corporate, which would have the power to introduce new rules as it sees fit to maintain the property.
Hemphill recommended tenants free phone Tenancy Services, a free advice line ran by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, on 0800 836 262 (0800 TENANCY).
Do you think laundry drying on balconies ruins the aesthetic of apartment buildings? Let us know in the comments.