Periodic vs Fixed-Term Tenancy in NZ (2026): Notice Periods, Ending a Tenancy and What Changed
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Updated September 2026. Written for New Zealand landlords and tenants. This is general information, not legal advice — check Tenancy Services for the current rules before you act.
Every residential tenancy in New Zealand is one of two things: periodic (no fixed end date) or fixed-term (an agreed end date). Which one you have decides how much notice either side must give, whether the landlord needs a reason to end it, and what happens when a fixed term runs out. The rules changed on 30 January 2025 and again on 1 May 2025, and a lot of what you'll read online is still describing the old law. Here is the current position, in plain English.
What is a periodic tenancy?
A periodic tenancy runs indefinitely. It keeps going until either the landlord or the tenant ends it by giving the correct written notice. Rent is usually paid weekly or fortnightly, and there's no date on which the tenancy automatically stops. Most long-standing tenancies in NZ are periodic, and every fixed-term tenancy becomes periodic when the term ends unless someone acts (more on that below).
What is a fixed-term tenancy?
A fixed-term tenancy has a start date and an end date written into the tenancy agreement — six months and twelve months are the common lengths. Neither side can give ordinary notice to end it early. It can only end early if both parties agree in writing, or if the Tenancy Tribunal orders it (for example, for serious rent arrears or where continuing would cause severe hardship).
Fixed-term vs periodic: the differences at a glance
| Question | Periodic tenancy | Fixed-term tenancy |
|---|---|---|
| Does it have an end date? | No | Yes, written in the agreement |
| Can the tenant leave with notice? | Yes — 21 days' written notice | Not before the end date (unless both agree) |
| Can the landlord end it with notice? | Yes — 90 days (no reason) or 42 days (specific reasons) | Not before the end date (unless both agree or Tribunal orders it) |
| What happens at the end? | Nothing — it continues until notice is given | Rolls into a periodic tenancy unless notice is given 90–21 days before expiry |
| Can the rent be increased? | Yes, once every 12 months with 60 days' written notice | Only if the agreement allows it, and still no more than once every 12 months |
Notice periods for a periodic tenancy (current from 30 January 2025)
If the landlord wants to end it
- 90 days' written notice — no reason needs to be given. The notice must not be retaliatory (for example, given because the tenant asked for repairs).
- 42 days' written notice — only where one of these applies: the owner or a member of the owner's family needs the property as their main home (and will move in within 90 days and stay at least 90 days); the property has been sold under an unconditional agreement that requires vacant possession; or the property is normally used to house the landlord's employees or contractors and is needed for that purpose again.
If the tenant wants to end it
- 21 days' written notice, unless the landlord agrees to a shorter period. If several tenants are named on the agreement and one of them gives notice, that ends the periodic tenancy for all of them.
Every notice must be in writing, state the property address and the date the tenancy will end, and be signed by the person giving it. If the tenancy agreement lists an email or other electronic address for service, notice can be served electronically — that has been allowed since 20 March 2025.
What happens when a fixed term ends?
This is the part most people get wrong. A fixed-term tenancy does not simply stop on the end date. Unless notice is given in the right window, it automatically becomes a periodic tenancy on the same terms.
For fixed terms expiring on or after 1 May 2025, either party who wants the tenancy to actually end must give written notice between 90 and 21 days before the expiry date. A landlord giving that notice needs to rely on one of the grounds that would let them end a periodic tenancy (the 90-day no-cause ground or a 42-day ground). If nobody gives notice in that window, the tenancy rolls over and the periodic rules above apply from then on.
If both sides want to keep going with a new fixed term, sign a new agreement (or a written variation) before the current one runs out. Put a note in your calendar 100 days out — it's the simplest landlord habit that prevents an accidental rollover.
Which is better for a landlord?
There is no universally right answer, but the trade-offs are clear.
A fixed term gives you rent certainty for the term and protects you from a tenant leaving in the first few months. The cost is inflexibility: if your circumstances change, you can't give notice until the 90–21 day window before expiry, and you'll need to manage the rollover deliberately.
A periodic tenancy is flexible for both sides. Since 30 January 2025 the 90-day no-cause notice has been restored, so a landlord can end a periodic tenancy without a Tribunal application. The trade-off is that a good tenant can also leave with only 21 days' notice.
A common approach is an initial twelve-month fixed term followed by a periodic tenancy, which gives certainty through the first year and flexibility after that.
Which is better for a tenant?
A fixed term protects you from being asked to leave during the term and locks in the rent terms. A periodic tenancy lets you move with 21 days' notice — useful if your job or family situation might change. If you're on a fixed term and want to stay, remember the rollover works in your favour: if the landlord doesn't give valid notice in the 90–21 day window, you become a periodic tenant automatically.
Other rules that apply to both types
- Bond: up to four weeks' rent, lodged with Tenancy Services within 23 working days of receiving it. Since 1 December 2025 a landlord can also take a pet bond of up to two weeks' rent (one pet bond per tenancy) where the tenant keeps a pet with consent. See our guide to charging, lodging and refunding a bond.
- Healthy Homes: all private rentals must have met the Healthy Homes Standards since 1 July 2025, and every new or renewed agreement must include a signed compliance statement. Run the free Healthy Homes checklist before you sign.
- Rent increases: no more than once every 12 months, with at least 60 days' written notice.
- Pets: since 1 December 2025 tenants can ask to keep a pet, and a landlord can only refuse on reasonable grounds (and can set reasonable conditions).
- Methamphetamine: from 16 April 2026, regulations set the contamination levels at which a property must be decontaminated or is treated as uninhabitable.
Frequently asked questions
What does periodic tenancy mean?
A tenancy with no fixed end date. It continues until the landlord or tenant ends it by giving the correct written notice — 21 days for a tenant, and 90 days (no reason) or 42 days (specific reasons) for a landlord.
Can a landlord end a periodic tenancy without a reason in NZ?
Yes. Since 30 January 2025 a landlord can end a periodic tenancy with 90 days' written notice without giving a reason, as long as the notice is not retaliatory.
How much notice does a tenant have to give on a periodic tenancy?
At least 21 days' written notice, unless the landlord agrees to less.
Does a fixed-term tenancy automatically become periodic?
Yes, unless one party gives written notice between 90 and 21 days before the expiry date (for terms ending on or after 1 May 2025). If nobody gives notice, it rolls over to a periodic tenancy on the same terms.
Can I break a fixed-term tenancy early?
Only by written agreement with the other party, or by a Tenancy Tribunal order. A landlord can agree to an early end and may charge reasonable costs of re-letting, but cannot charge a penalty.
Can a landlord give notice by email?
Yes, if the tenancy agreement lists an email address for service. Keep a copy of the sent email and any read receipt.
Keep every notice, date and statement in one place
The mistakes that end up at the Tribunal are almost always paperwork mistakes: a notice given a day late, a bond lodged on day 24, a compliance statement that was never attached. The NZ Landlord Compliance Kit (NZ$99 ex GST) gives you a bond register, inspection log, Healthy Homes evidence tracker and key-date reminders in Excel and Google Sheets. If you just need the basics, the NZ Landlord Pack (NZ$39 ex GST) covers the rental tracker and Healthy Homes checklist.
Related free tools: rental income tax calculator · rental yield calculator · working days calculator (handy for counting the 23 working days to lodge a bond).