Renting a place to live in New Zealand
If you plan to rent property or live in shared accommodation in New Zealand, it is important to learn about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, and those of the landlord.
Advice on renting
Tenancy Services gives advice on all aspects of rental tenancies in New Zealand.
As well as the information on its website, Tenancy Services offers:
- a downloadable guide to renting, available in English and other languages
- a telephone helpline, and
- a mediation service if you have a disagreement with your landlord.
Your rights and responsibilities — Tenancy Services
Information for new tenants — Tenancy Services
Phone helpline — Tenancy Services
Finding a rental property
New Zealand's rental market offers a wide choice, with many different types of housing, and prices that can vary according to the location.
You can look for a rental property in a number of ways, including:
- going through a letting agent — for example, a real estate agent
- using real estate websites to check rental listings
- asking friends and the people you work with for advice — they may know of places for rent
- contacting landlords directly — 'For rent' signs are often posted with contact details.
There can be high demand for good rental properties, so it is a good idea to make contact quickly.
Always visit a property before you commit to renting it.
Find out what renters typically pay in specific areas on the Tenancy Services website:
A tenancy agreement is required when you rent a property.
If you are renting a property, you will need pay a bond and regular rent.
Learn about paying rent in advance and bonds.
Paying bond — Tenancy Services
You must pay your rent on time, even if there is a problem with the property or your landlord.
How rent is charged and paid — Tenancy Services
Find out what fees landlords and letting agents cannot charge you for.
If someone else has signed the tenancy agreement but lets you share the flat, you are a 'flatmate'. Flatting is common in New Zealand, usually for younger people.
People looking for flatmates will usually advertise online or on social media.
Landlords must make sure their properties meet New Zealand's healthy homes standards and continue to do so.
These standards apply to insulation, heating, ventilation and drainage in rental properties, including community housing and boarding houses.
If you have a problem with your rental property, you should first talk to your landlord.
If you are unable to reach an agreement with your landlord, there are more formal processes you can use to resolve the problem.
If you have a disagreement with a flatmate that cannot be resolved, the Disputes Tribunal can help settle the matter.
If you want to end your tenancy, it is important to understand the rules. These will differ depending on what kind of tenancy agreement you have — a periodic tenancy, or a fixed-term tenancy.