Benefits of Renting

The majority of migrants choose to rent a house (long or short term) when they first arrive inNew Zealand. The benefits of initially renting a house far out-weigh any long term financial benefits of owning a home when first shifting to New Zealand. People who have obtained permanent residency to New Zealand usually arrive with little understanding of the good (and not so good) areas to reside in, or which part of the country will offer the best employment or education opportunities suitable to them. For these reasons short or medium term rental allows a new migrant the freedom to move to different parts of a suburb, town, city or even the country without being committed to a mortgage or owning a home that is no longer suitable to their family requirements.

New residents should be prepared to spend quality time looking for a house to rent in New Zealand as prices and quality can vary dramatically in many parts of a city. You can pretty much rent any type of property your heart and wallet desire in New Zealand , from stylish inner city apartments, little bedsits, spacious old homes with large outdoor living areas or a lifestyle block on the outskirts of town.

It's your home!

The landlord owns the place, but while you rent it, it is your home. This means the landlord has to respect your peace and privacy (this is called quiet enjoyment).

The landlord can come inside, but only at certain times:

• To inspect the place but no more than once every four weeks and they must give you 48 hours' notice that they are going to do an inspection.
• To fix something they can come inside to do the repairs after giving you 24 hours' notice.
• In case of emergency if the landlord wants to come inside for some other reason then they need your permission, otherwise they may be breaking the law. If it happens to you, talk to the Department of Building and Housing. 
   

The Residential Tenancies Act says you must:

• pay the rent  Even if youre unhappy about something to do with the place, you still have to pay the rent. It is important that you always pay the rent on time
• keep the place reasonably clean  It doesnt need to look perfect, but it does need to be reasonable
• tell the landlord if something needs to be fixed  If something breaks down or goes wrong, tell the landlord straight away. It is the landlords responsibility to repair and maintain the place. It is your responsibility to tell the landlord about any problems. Its a good idea to put it in writing for the landlord as well, and keep a copy.
• Be a good neighbour Dont disturb other tenants or neighbours­.

Do I need to sign a tenancy agreement?

Yes you have to complete and sign a Tenancy Agreement. You do this after we have found you a home and agreed on terms and conditions. It is the written agreement between the tenant and the landlord. This agreement includes a Property Inspection Report that both parties sign. Both parties must keep a copy of this agreement.

There are two main types of tenancy - Periodic and Fixed Term.

• Periodic. This tenancy is not for a specific term. It continues until the tenant or landlord gives the correct notice to end it. Periodic tenancies are the most common type.
• Fixed Term Tenancy. This tenancy ends on a specific date set down in the written Tenancy Agreement. There is very limited provision for either the landlord or the tenant to end the tenancy on an earlier date. In most circumstances either party will need to convince the Tribunal that hardship will result if the tenancy continues. 

Do I have to pay a bond?

Yes, generally you will have to pay a bond. Most property owners collect a bond as part of the tenancy agreement. The bond is held by Tenancy Services. Bonds will typically range from two weeks of rent up to the  legal maximum of four weeks of rent. Housing People handle all bond payments.

What happens to my bond if I move to another rental?

Your old landlord can have the bond transferred to your new rental saving you the need to wait for a bond refund. Ask about a Bond Transfer form or alternatively a Change of Landlord/Agent form if your rental is changing owners but you are staying put. 

How do I pay my rent?

All rents must be paid to our (HPL) bank account by Automatic Payment (AP).  Rent will be either one or two weeks in advance. The only exception to this is the first rent payment that needs to be in cash or a cheque at the start of the tenancy.


Giving notice

Any notice to end a tenancy must:

• be in writing
• give the address of the tenancy
• give the date when the tenancy is to end
• be signed by the person giving the notice
• be served by mail to the address for service. (It doesnt have to be sent by registered mail or delivered in person, but 4 working days must be added to the notice period to allow for mail delivery time.)

You cannot give notice (and the landlord cannot give you notice) if you have a fixed-term tenancy.

For a periodic tenancy, you must give 21 days written notice, unless the landlord agrees in writing to a shorter time.

The landlord must give 90 days written notice in most cases. This may be reduced to 42 days if:

• the property has been sold and the new buyers dont want tenants
• the landlord or the landlords family are going to live in the property
• the property is normally used as employee accommodation and is needed again for that purpose, and this is included in the tenancy agreement.

If the landlord gives you notice, and you want to move out before then, you still need to give your normal notice (21 days) as well. 

Notice to terminate a tenancy can be given on any day of any week to end on any day of any week regardless of when rent is normally paid, or the period that it usually covers.

Tenancy agreements

• What types of tenancy agreement are there and how do I set one up?
• What can I do about breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act or the tenancy agreement?
• Who pays for water?

Rent

• How does rent in advance work?
• Does a landlord have to give receipts for rent?
• How much notice do I need to give to increase the rent?
• What can I do about rent in arrears?

Bonds

• How do I get my bond money back?
• Can I transfer a bond?

Ending tenancies

• How much notice do I need to give to end a tenancy?
• How much notice do I have to give to evict a flatmate or a boarder?
• How do I end a fixed-term tenancy early?
• What happens if I remain in the property after the fixed-term tenancy ends?

Repairs and maintenance

• Who is responsible for maintaining the grounds?
• How can I get my landlord to do repairs?

Problems and disputes

• What can I do if the landlord or tenant is disturbing the neighbours, my other tenants or me?
• When can the landlord come into or onto the property?
• What happens if my flatmate causes damage or owes rent?
• What can I do about a dispute with my flatmate?

Mediation and Tenancy Tribunal hearings

• Do I have to attend mediation?
• What happens if I dont turn up to a Tenancy Tribunal hearing?
• How do I serve notices or documents on my tenant or landlord?
• How do I file an application for an order of the Tenancy Tribunal?
• How can I enforce a Tenancy Tribunal or mediators order? 

Still have unanswered questions? Contact us and we will help to find what you are looking for.

Make sure you check out our selection of short term and long term properties available.