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organisational structure

  • Find out more about the organisational structure of the Department, including the responsibilities of our business groups.

Our services

The Department of Building and Housing offers a range of building and housing-related information and advice, including help with dispute resolution.

Use the links below to head straight to the area of this website you are interested in, or keep reading for further information about our services.

  • Tenancy – Landlords with residential rental property and tenants who rent their homes.
  • Building – Building law and regulations, and information and guidance on how to comply with those standards when building, renovating and maintaining homes and buildings.
  • Weathertightness – Information about weathertightness, and the services available from the Weathertight Services.

Tenancy

We offer advice and information for landlords with residential rental property and tenants who rent their homes.

We also provide dispute resolution services. We can give you information and advice about your rights and obligations, and the services available to you to resolve disputes with your landlord or tenant. We have 21 offices throughout New Zealand, and we also use a number of community venues throughout the country.

We also receive and hold bonds until the end of a tenancy, when either the landlord or tenant can apply for a refund.

View our tenancy information »

Building

The Department draws on the wide-ranging technical and industry expertise of its people to offer information and guidance on how to comply with the law when building, renovating and maintaining homes and buildings. This includes information for:

  • homeowners and consumers
  • commercial building owners, managers and developers
  • builders, tradespeople and designers
  • building officials.

ConsumerBuild.
Homeowners or prospective homeowners who are seeking advice about building, renovating or maintaining a home are also encouraged to visit the ConsumerBuild website: www.consumerbuild.org.nz External website. Building professionals will also find this website useful.

The Department created ConsumerBuild in partnership with Consumers’ Institute. The site provides a range of helpful information, as well as outlining your rights, responsibilities and dispute resolution options if things go wrong.

View our building information » 

Weathertightness

We provide information and guidance for building professionals and homeowners on how to ensure weathertightness, and options for dealing with a leaky home.

Our Weathertight Services has been set up to help homeowners who discover their home has weathertightness failure as a result of the materials used, design features and/or inadequate workmanship. Weatheright Services does not pay for any repairs; it assesses the extent of damage, the cost of repairs, and provides options for homeowners to obtain redress from those involved in the dwelling’s construction.

View our weathertightness information »