Our comprehensive guide to renting is written to help our new tenants understand the procedures we follow and provide an overview of the laws governing residential tenancies. We recommend you ask us any further questions you have or seek advice from Tenancy Services.
In this guide, we'll go over the basics of renting and answer common questions about renting with us. Here's a quick look at everything we'll cover:
• General responsibilities under renting law
• How damage is managed at a rental property
• How changes to tenancy agreements are handled
• The process of ending a tenancy
• Taking care of your rental property
• Troubleshooting common faults
The Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) sets out the law around what tenants and landlords each need to do when renting a property. Below is a short outline of what tenants must do, and must not do. The full text of the Residential Tenancies Act is available here.
We have a list of common issues and solutions on our property guide. If you've checked and the issue hasn't been resolved, please contact us by email if there is a fault at your property or something requires maintenance.
You can call us about maintenance and we'll diagnose the issue over the phone, but please still send a written request for insurance purposes.
You are responsible for paying your rent on time and in advance.
Rent in advance is similar to filling up your car. At the start of the week, you fill up your tank and use your petrol over the week, and then fill up your tank again for next week.
At the end of the tenancy, a final calculation will be completed for all rent paid along with any costs outstanding, so everyone will be all square.
Joint and several liability means that all tenants on the agreement are jointly responsible for the tenancy.
This means if one person named on the agreement as a tenant doesn't contribute or their invited guests cause damage, the owners can seek money from all named tenants, regardless of who was individually responsible.
As a tenant, we recommend you purchase contents insurance to cover your belongings. The Landlord's insurance policy only covers the building and their property.
As an example, if the property is damaged in a storm and a laptop is destroyed when a tree falls through the roof, the landlord's policy will fix the building but not the laptop.
The responsibility for fixing damage depends on who did the damage and also the circumstances. This table summarises the responsibility for each type of damage.
Tenants are responsible for the full cost of any intentional damage they commit. Tenants are also responsible for the actions of any invited guests.
Tenants are responsible for an amount up to four weeks rent or the landlord's excess for any careless damage they commit. Tenants are also responsible for the actions of any invited guests.
The landlord would be responsible for fixing damage done by 3rd parties. For example, burglary damage to window frames.
Landlords are responsible for repairing the property after natural disasters or 'Acts of God'. An example of this would be burst pipe in the kitchen or earthquake damage.
Fair wear and tear refers to the gradual deterioration of things which used regularly. This is not considered damage if things are used normally.
There are two common types of tenancies in New Zealand.
A periodic tenancy can be ended with either the landlord or tenant giving notice to each other, and is also known as an open tenancy.
A fixed term tenancy has a set duration, and cannot be ended early by either party unless an agreement is reached or by order of the Tenancy Tribunal.
Let us know if you are looking to make changes to the tenants or occupants living at the property. Written approval is required. Please don't go ahead with confirming new tenants or occupants before getting acceptance from us.
Changing tenants can incur some costs, such as credit checks, vetting, and documentation.
Ending a fixed term early is an expensive exercise for everyone. Generally speaking, you'd need to cover the landlord's costs and the rent until the new tenant moves in.
To minimise costs, please let us know as early as possible. Once you've confirmed your request for a fixed term break in writing, along with a final date and costs, we can start the process to find a replacement tenant. You can help by keeping the home clean and tidy.
Please let us know if you have run into significant and unforeseen hardship.
Tenants can request permission to complete minor alterations to the property. Let us know by email if you'd like to complete a minor alteration to the property.
The process of approving minor alterations is set by the RTA. To protect both parties, please don't go ahead with the change before receiving formal confirmation from us.
Once we receive your written notice, we'll start the end of tenancy process. This graphic summarises the next steps and what's involved.
If your tenancy is a periodic tenancy, you can end the tenancy by sending us a written notice to end your tenancy with the correct notice period. At the time of writing, this is 28 days. You can use the template available on the Tenancy Services website.
A fixed term tenancy will roll over into a periodic tenancy at the end of the term. If you want to end a fixed term tenancy at the end of the fixed period, you'll need to send us a notice not to continue a fixed term tenancy. At the time of writing, this is 28 days.
Please return all keys and remotes to us at the end of the tenancy. If the keys are not returned right away, the owner may ask us to replace the locks and deduct the cost from your bond as this is a safety issue for the next tenants.
Please call your internet provider to transfer the internet account to your new property. Please leave the power cable for the optical network box connected
When you leave, please ask the power company to close your account, not to disconnect the property or remove the connection. Disconnecting the power will drain any alarm batteries at the property and requires a physical reconnection.
We can provide you with a comprehensive end of tenancy checklist and are also happy to offer advice following open homes if there are areas of the property which might fall below the 'reasonably clean' standard set out by law.
You can use download our checklist to make sure all items are covered before leaving.
In the vast majority of our tenancies, tenants are responsible for keeping the lawns reasonably tidy, while landlords are responsible for maintaining the trees and shrubs. We recommend the use of a lawnmower with a mulcher to shred the clippings. Please don't empty grass clippings in a pile around a tree as this will harm it.
It is the landlord's responsibility to keep these clear and make sure the roof is watertight. Tenants can help by reporting any gutters which overflow during rain and informing us of any leaks as soon as possible.
Vented clothes dryers, gas heaters, and outdoor barbeques are not permitted to be operated inside the house. This is due to the moisture released and the fire risk. Please contact us if you want to install any of these.
If you wish to install hooks or door fittings, please ask first. The owner needs to give permission and this is run through the minor alterations process.
If you stain the carpets please ask a professional carpet cleaner to assist. A new stain has a very good chance of being removed, but it becomes much harder when dried.
Feed waste in gradually while the water is running and run the motor until grinding is complete. Avoid large amounts of fibrous materials such as corn husks or eggshells to avoid blockage. Don’t pour grease or fat down the waste disposal.
Remove food from dishes before washing. Take out the filter at the bottom of the dishwasher every few months and clean it to prevent blockages.
Sinks can slowly block if food scraps are poured down a sink. Please place food scraps into a bin and use a sink strainer to prevent blockages.
Please take care not to drip water on kitchen cabinet doors or bathroom vanity doors. The doors and cabinets are made from melamine which will swell up and warp if there is too much water left on these surfaces over time. This would be considered careless damage.
Use a gentle cloth and detergent to clean cooktops if there are any food splatters. Using harsh abrasives such as steel wool can damage ceramic cooktops and scratch paint. Ceramic cooktops require a special cleaner which is available at all supermarkets.
The heat pump filters require cleaning every 6 - 12 months for maximum operating efficiency. For most heat pumps you can either wash or vacuum these filters.
Tenants are required to keep the property well ventilated and remove any mould straight away. Significant moisture can be generated by domestic activities. You can reduce moisture by keeping lids on pots when cooking, wiping down condensation, opening windows, hanging washing outside, and keeping furniture away from walls.
Check with your power company and see if your neighbours also have no power. If so, this is likely to be an area wide outage. Secondly make sure your power has not been disconnected due to an overdue account. If these are fine and your house is the only house without power, please contact us.
If you have recently finished using a lot of hot water such as having a bath or long shower, the cylinder may simply have run out and will reheat over time. If not, check if this is a specific outlet (such as the shower) or the entire house and examine the power box for a tripped fuse switch. If it is just the shower, it is likely to be a tangled shower hose. Please contact us if this does not fix it.
In almost all cases this is a network closure somewhere upstream of your house. You can also check to make sure your water meter has not been inadvertently turned off. The water utility provider can give more details of any closures, etc.
This usually happens after a repair by the water utility company and mud has entered the pipes. Run your taps until the water becomes clear again.
Remove any filters or traps and clean them out. Use a plunger to try and clear out the blockage. Use a chemical drain cleaner if required. If all this fails, please contact us.
Check that the timer switch on the oven is turned to manual, the wall switch is on, and the mains power is on. If none of the above works, please contact us.
Replace the light bulb if this is replaceable and check the fuses. If either of these do not solve the issue contact us.
Check your appliance is not faulty by using the appliance in a different power point. Please contact us if this fails to resolve the fault.
Is the disposal unit is switched on at the wall? Most models also have a safety switch that gets triggered by an overload, resetting this will restart the unit. If there is any leaking observed around the unit, or you cannot resolve the issue contact us.
If you lose your keys during our working hours, you can call us to borrow our spare key from our office. Outside of working hours you will need to call a locksmith to let you in.
Smoke alarms are programmed to make a periodic chirping sound when the battery needs changing. If your alarm is a sealed battery model, the alarm may be faulty. Please contact us for help.
In the rare event you notice any pests in the first 4 weeks of the tenancy, please contact us and we will arrange treatment if needed. Pests at the property outside this timeframe are unlikely to have been there at the start. Please contact us for help if you need assistance.
