Landlord Obligations in New Zealand: A Plain-Language Guide

If you rent out residential property in New Zealand, the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 sets out what you must do for your tenants, covering the condition of the home, the bond, notice periods, and a run of 2025 and 2026 rule changes.

This is general information about New Zealand law, not legal advice. For your situation, consult a lawyer or your local Community Law centre.

Healthy Homes Standards compliance

Every private rental must meet five Healthy Homes Standards: heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping. Since 1 July 2025 this is a hard requirement for every private tenancy, with no remaining grace period, and your tenancy agreement must include a compliance statement showing how the property meets each standard.

Falling short exposes you to financial penalties of up to $7,200 for the standards themselves, plus up to $500 for missing the required compliance statement. These are ordered by the Tenancy Tribunal, not automatically issued. A larger landlord in trade, with six or more tenancies or a boarding house, who intentionally fails to meet key obligations such as the Healthy Homes Standards can also face a pecuniary penalty of up to $50,000 sought by MBIE, so the exposure for a professional portfolio landlord is higher than the ordinary Tribunal figure.

Lodging the bond, on time

If you charge a bond, the general cap is 4 weeks' rent. Whatever you charge, you must lodge it with Tenancy Services within 23 working days of receiving it. You cannot hold it yourself or treat it as your own money in the meantime, and late lodgement can attract a financial penalty.

Since 29 June 2026, bond lodgement, top-ups, and refunds all go through Tenancy Services' online Bond Hub (mybond.tenancy.govt.nz) or an integrated property management system, replacing the older paper bond lodgement forms.

Maintenance and your tenant's quiet enjoyment

You must keep the property in a reasonable state of repair and cannot interfere with your tenant's reasonable peace, comfort, and privacy, a right known as quiet enjoyment. That includes giving your tenant proper notice, or getting their agreement, before you or your agent enters the property to inspect it or carry out repairs.

Ending a tenancy: the notice you must give

The RTA Amendment Act 2024 reinstated no-cause terminations for periodic tenancies, effective for notices given on or after 30 January 2025. As a landlord, you can now end a periodic tenancy without stating a reason by giving your tenant at least 90 days' written notice.

A shorter 42-day notice applies in two situations: you or a family member need the property as your main residence within 90 days of the tenancy ending and will stay at least 90 days, or the property has been sold and the buyer needs vacant possession under an unconditional agreement. If a tenant has physically assaulted you, the property owner, a family member, or your agent, and police have filed a charge, you can end the tenancy with at least 14 days' written notice, though the tenant can challenge that notice at the Tenancy Tribunal.

These are different from the notice a tenant has to give to leave; our tenant rights guide covers that side.

Pets: the 2025 consent and bond rules

From 1 December 2025, you must consider each tenant pet request individually rather than applying a blanket no-pets rule, and you can only refuse on reasonable grounds. You can charge a separate pet bond of up to 2 weeks' rent, on top of the general bond, and attach reasonable written conditions to your consent.

For how these obligations sit alongside a tenant's rights, and for the separate rules that apply to flatmates who are not on the tenancy agreement, see the tenancy hub and our guide to flatmates versus tenants.

Frequently Asked Questions

By when must a landlord lodge a tenant's bond?

Within 23 working days of receiving it, with Tenancy Services rather than holding it privately. Since 29 June 2026 this is done through the online Bond Hub or an integrated property management system.

Can a landlord end a periodic tenancy without giving a reason?

Yes, since 30 January 2025, when the RTA Amendment Act 2024 reinstated no-cause terminations for periodic tenancies. The landlord must give at least 90 days' written notice.

What is the Healthy Homes compliance deadline?

All private rentals have had to fully meet the Healthy Homes Standards since 1 July 2025, with no further grace period. Non-compliance can bring financial penalties of up to $7,200.

Can a landlord refuse a tenant's pet?

From 1 December 2025, each pet request must be considered on its own merits and can only be refused on reasonable grounds. A landlord who consents can charge a pet bond of up to 2 weeks' rent and attach reasonable written conditions.

What happens if a landlord does not meet these obligations?

A tenant can raise the problem directly, use Tenancy Services' resolution services, or apply to the Tenancy Tribunal, which can order repairs, refunds, compensation, or financial penalties.