Setting Up a New Tenancy in NZ: The Landlord's First-Week Checklist

Most landlord problems are not caused by bad tenants. They are caused by a missing document from the first week of the tenancy. This is the sequence we use every time a property is let in New Zealand, with the legal timeframes that apply under the Residential Tenancies Act.

Before advertising

Healthy Homes compliance. Since 1 July 2025, every private rental must meet all five Healthy Homes standards: heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping. Do the assessment before you advertise, because you must state the property's compliance in the tenancy agreement, and it is far cheaper to fix a missing extractor fan before a tenant is in place.

Smoke alarms. Working smoke alarms are required within three metres of every bedroom door, and new alarms must be photoelectric with a ten-year battery or hard-wired. Check them at the start of every tenancy and record that you did.

Insurance. Tell your insurer the property is tenanted. Landlord policies differ from owner-occupier policies, and a claim can be declined if the insurer was not told.

The tenancy agreement

A written tenancy agreement is mandatory. Tenancy Services publishes a free template that includes the compulsory clauses. At minimum it must include the parties' names and contact details, the address, the rent and how often it is paid, the bond amount, the start date and, for a fixed term, the end date, plus the Healthy Homes compliance statement and an insurance statement telling the tenant whether the property is insured and what the excess is. A tenant should receive a signed copy before the tenancy starts.

Bond

You can charge up to four weeks' rent as bond. You must give the tenant a receipt and lodge the bond with Tenancy Services within 23 working days of receiving it. Lodging is free and is done online. Failing to lodge on time is an unlawful act that can attract exemplary damages, so put the lodgement date in your calendar the day you receive the money.

Rent in advance

You may ask for up to two weeks' rent in advance. You cannot ask for the next payment until the period already paid for has ended. Rent can be increased no more than once every 12 months, with at least 60 days' written notice, and not at all in the first 12 months of a tenancy.

Entry inspection report

The single most valuable document you will create. Walk through every room with the tenant, photograph everything, note the condition of walls, floors, fittings and appliances, and have both parties sign and date it. When the tenancy ends, this is the only reliable evidence of what was already worn. Without it, a bond claim for damage is difficult to win at the Tenancy Tribunal.

Handover pack

Give the tenant a copy of the signed agreement, the bond lodgement confirmation once it arrives, keys (and a record of how many), instructions for the heat pump or heating, the rubbish and recycling collection days, and your preferred contact method for repairs. A one-page sheet covering this saves a dozen texts.

During the tenancy

Inspections. You may inspect no more than once every four weeks, with 48 hours' to 14 days' written notice, between 8am and 7pm. Record each inspection with photos and notes.

Repairs. You must keep the property in reasonable repair and respond to urgent repairs promptly. Keep every invoice — it is both your legal record and your tax deduction.

Records. Keep rent records, inspection reports, repair invoices, correspondence and the Healthy Homes evidence. Tenants can ask for Healthy Homes information and you must provide it within 21 days. Inland Revenue requires financial records to be kept for seven years.

Ending the tenancy

Notice periods depend on the tenancy type and the reason; check the current Tenancy Services rules for your situation because they changed in 2025. At the end, do an exit inspection against the entry report, agree the bond refund with the tenant and file the refund form with Tenancy Services. If you cannot agree, either party can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal.

A one-page checklist

1. Healthy Homes assessment completed and documented.
2. Smoke alarms checked and recorded.
3. Insurer informed.
4. Written tenancy agreement with compliance and insurance statements, signed by all parties.
5. Bond receipted and lodged within 23 working days.
6. Entry inspection report with photos, signed by both parties.
7. Handover pack given.
8. Calendar reminders set for the first inspection and the 12-month rent review.

Our Landlord Compliance Kit includes a bond register, inspection log and Healthy Homes tracker built around these steps, and there is a free Healthy Homes checklist if you just need the standards in plain English.

General information only, current as of the 2025 Residential Tenancies Act amendments. For your specific tenancy, refer to tenancy.govt.nz or get legal advice.