Information for tenants

New Zealand’s renting industry has changed dramatically over the last 40 years. Let’s look at six ways the industry has changed since the 1980s.

Before the Healthy Homes Standards (HHS) come into force on 1 July 2021, there is a more pressing deadline of 1 July 2020 that private landlords need to be proactively working to meet.

In addition to the new insulation standards that came into effect, July 2019 also saw new tenancy legislation passed regarding tenants’ liability for damage caused by careless behaviour.

Landlords should now be fully aware of (and taking swift steps to meet) the insulation-related legislation changes that came into effect on 1 July 2019.

Auckland’s traffic headaches, growing population and housing shortage and unaffordability continue to motivate its residents to up sticks and relocate elsewhere in God’s Zone. But where are they all going and why?

With the recent chlorination of Christchurch’s water supply, we’ve seen a directly correlated increase in the failing of hot water cylinders in the properties we manage. We thought we’d give you the lowdown on the chlorination issue as a whole, and let you know what signs to look out for to ensure your cylinder isn’t on the blink.

If you are new to renting, about to sign a new tenancy agreement or wondering what you need to do as you end a tenancy; there are lots of helpful tips available on the Tenancy Services website to aid you. Here, we offer a quick run-down with links to resources that will answer any questions you have.

Moving house is an inevitable part of our lives and can be very stressful without a little planning.  There is a lot to consider, whether you’re moving across town, to a new town/city or even to a new country and each will require a different plan of attack.

Earlier this year an Auckland landlord was fined $2,000 by the Tenancy Tribunal for not fitting his rental property with smoke alarms in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and Regulations. The ruling was a stern reminder that all landlords must comply with smoke alarm legislation. Let’s look at how landlords and tenants can both ensure their rental properties meet the standard… How many smoke alarms does a house need? Smoke alarm requirements for rental properties are clearly outlined in the...

In March we talked about the state of the New Zealand housing market, sharing some developments that show it’s not all doom and gloom for house buyers and renters. In that post we touched on Housing Minister Phil Twyford commenting that the KiwiBuild policy, planning to construct 100,000 homes in ten years, was the answer to freeing up housing stock and increasing availability in the rental markets. The KiwiBuild policy isn’t without its detractors who say the target is unattainable and...