Blog

Wellington rents by suburb, vacancy rising after public service cuts, Healthy Homes costs for older villas, and what to do if your property is sitting empty.

NZ landlord entry rules under the RTA: 48-hour written notice, exceptions, up to $2,000 in exemplary damages, and why keeping records protects both sides.

Christchurch rents, rebuild-era expectations vs 2026 reality, why vacancy is rising, and what landlords with older stock need to do before the next tenancy.

Building depreciation gone since 2011, interest deductibility back but fragile, CGT on the horizon. The one lever that doesn't depend on Wellington is your cost structure.

All 5 Healthy Homes Standards explained for NZ landlords: Heating (18°C), Insulation (R2.9/R3.3), Ventilation (5% windows), Moisture and Drainage, and Draught Stopping. The compliance deadline of 1 July 2025 has passed - here is what you must have in place now.

Yardi appears in many property management software comparisons. This page answers the question NZ landlords keep searching: does it actually work in New Zealand, and is it worth investigating?

Xero is excellent general accounting software - but does it know what a 60-day rent increase notice is? A NZ landlord's breakdown of what accounting software actually needs to do, what Xero misses, and how a Xero integration with purpose-built property management software covers both.

Listing stock at a 12-year high, asking prices softening, and an OCR that has stopped falling. The exit impulse is understandable - but the inflation maths and the political risk picture make the decision harder than it looks.

The 7-10% management fee understates what you actually pay by roughly 40%. Here is the full annual calculation across four NZ rent levels, the maintenance markup most landlords miss, and the break-even point where self-managing wins.

A practical checklist for all five Healthy Homes Standards - Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture and Drainage, and Draught Stopping. Work through this before signing a new tenancy agreement. Every new tenancy requires a signed compliance statement.

The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 came into force on 30 January 2025. This is a plain-language guide to what changed, what stayed the same, and three common misconceptions that will cost you if you get them wrong.

Step-by-step: how to exit your current management agreement, transfer the tenancy file, handle the bond, and avoid the common traps that turn a straightforward switch into a three-month dispute.

I bought my first NZ rental in 2019 with no idea what I was doing. Seven years and four self-managed Auckland CBD apartments later, here is the checklist I wish existed then - from LIM reports and building inspections to healthy homes and finding good tenants without losing your mind.

NZ landlords cannot evict a tenant themselves. You need a Tenancy Tribunal possession order, and if the tenant still will not leave, a District Court Warrant of Possession executed by a court bailiff. No sheriff walk-in, no lockouts, no belongings on the curb. Here is the step-by-step process with authoritative sources.

NZ tenants have strong legal protections under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986: 48 hours notice before inspections, 60 days notice for rent increases (not 90, despite common belief), bond back within working days, and no unlawful entry. Here is the full list of your rights in plain English.

Letting fees in NZ are paid by the landlord, never the tenant (since 12 Dec 2018). They are typically 1 to 2 weeks rent + GST and cover advertising, viewings, screening, and the new tenancy agreement. Here is the full breakdown.

NZ property managers typically charge 7-10% of rent plus a letting fee of 1-2 weeks rent, inspection fees of $50-100 each, and a tenancy renewal fee. Here is every fee you will be quoted and what each one actually covers.

NZ landlords must install long-life photoelectric smoke alarms under the Healthy Homes Standards. Here is exactly what type, how many, where to put them, and the fines for getting it wrong.

Many NZ landlords do not fully understand their rights under the Residential Tenancies Act. You have more control than you might think - but also more obligations. Here is a plain-English guide.

A tenancy agreement sets the foundation of your landlord-tenant relationship. Use the MBIE standard form, add enforceable conditions, and avoid common mistakes that leave you exposed.

Step-by-step guide to issuing a legal rent increase notice in NZ. Includes a free template, the 60-day rule, and common mistakes landlords make.

NZ landlords can inspect a rental once every 4 weeks, with at least 48 hours written notice and no more than 14 days advance, between 8am and 7pm (rentals) or 8am and 6pm (boarding houses). Here is exactly what the RTA allows and how to document it.

A NZ landlord explains the correct process for ending a residential tenancy - whether the tenant is leaving, you need the property back, or the tenancy is simply not working out.

Choosing between a periodic and fixed-term tenancy in NZ affects how you can end the tenancy, increase rent, and deal with problem tenants. Here is what each one means and when to use it.

A NZ landlord explains what landlord insurance actually covers, what it doesn't, and the gaps that catch property owners out - particularly around meth contamination, tenant damage, and loss of rent.

NZ tenants cannot sublet without the landlord's written consent - but landlords can't refuse unreasonably either. What counts as reasonable, the exact consent wording to use, and what to do if a tenant sublets without asking.

Mould responsibility in NZ depends on the cause. Structural dampness is the landlord's problem. Tenant ventilation failures are the tenant's. Here is how to tell the difference, what the Healthy Homes Standards require, and what to do when there is a dispute.

NZ landlords can only charge tenants for metered water usage - not rates. Here is what the Residential Tenancies Act actually says, and how to calculate it correctly.

Landlords in NZ cannot charge a pet bond or extra bond for pets. But they can set conditions, require written approval, and claim for pet damage. Here is how to manage pet risk without breaking the law.

In NZ bond refunds take 3-5 working days if both sides agree, or up to 6 weeks via the Tenancy Tribunal. Landlords have 14 days to claim before the tenant can apply solo. Exact timelines, BR4 form steps, and what triggers a Tribunal dispute.

A NZ landlord explains the minimum portfolio size where self-managing starts to make mathematical sense - and why two properties is still fragile.

The screening process I use across four Auckland rental properties: income verification, credit check, reference calls, and the one question that tells you more than the rest combined. With Privacy Act 2020 obligations and fair selection rules under NZ law.

Australian property managers reject most applications before the inspection. What they check first: income (3x rent rule), rental history, credit file, and the cover letter format that actually converts in a tight market.

Most landlords are good at collecting rent and bad at tracking expenses. This guide covers the seven IR3R expense categories, the capital vs revenue distinction, mileage logging, and how to set up a system that makes tax time take an afternoon.

What a genuinely good NZ property manager looks like: licensing, financial transparency, fees, and the uncomfortable truth about letting fee incentives. Plus the questions to ask before you sign anything.

I managed four Auckland properties and used a PM for two of them - then stopped. Here is what it actually costs: 2026 fee data, a worked example at $600/week, and the vacancy problem nobody in the industry wants to talk about.

A NZ landlord with four Auckland CBD apartments explains why self-managing saves money, keeps better tenants, and takes less time than most people think.

A landlord and former flatmate explains the head tenant trap, bond risks, overcrowding, and how to build rental history while flatting.

Most NZ rental applications are rejected before the viewing. A landlord who has reviewed hundreds explains the five things that get you shortlisted - and the three mistakes that end your application immediately.

Average rents by suburb and bedroom count across 9,200+ Auckland listings, March 2026. Includes Dec vs March movement so you can see which suburbs are softening and which are holding. Check where your property sits.

A landlord's firsthand guide to the NZ Tenancy Tribunal process, from filing to hearing, based on two real cases involving rent arrears and property damage.

A step-by-step guide to bond lodgement in New Zealand from a landlord who has lodged and refunded bonds for over fourteen tenants, covering paper forms, online, and the MBIE Bond API.

An honest 2026 comparison of Palace, MyRent, Keyhook, Renti, spreadsheets, and RentManager NZ from a self-managing NZ landlord who has tried them all across four Auckland apartments.