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B

Bonds

Landlords do not have to take a bond. If they choose to, they can ask for up to the equivalent of 4 weeks rent as a bond. Landlords must lodge bonds, or any part of a bond, with the Department of Building and Housing within 23 working days of receiving it from the tenant. The landlord and tenant should complete a bond lodgement form and send this with a cheque for the payment received for the bond to the Department of Building and Housing at PO Box 50-445, Porirua. The cheque should be made out to the 'Residential Tenancies Trust Account'.

Where forms are correctly filled in, lodgements and transfers are normally processed within 5 working days and refunds within 3 working days of receipt by the Department of Building and Housing.

For information about a bond lodged with us or detailed information about how to process a bond, phone the bond advice line on 0800 737 666.

See Forms and Info for bond forms and information sheets.

Breach of the tenancy agreement or the Residential Tenancies Act 1986

Where the tenant or landlord has breached the tenancy agreement or the Act, and the breach is capable of remedy, the affected tenant or landlord may give to the other a notice to remedy allowing a reasonable timeframe for them to remedy the breach. For breaches that are not serious and urgent, this is normally a minimum of 10 working days in addition to time allowed for serving the notice. 

For breaches that are not capable of remedy, or that are serious (eg, the tenant being at least 21 days in arrears, or the tenant assaulting the landlord), or when a notice to remedy has been served and has not been complied with, an application can be made to the Tenancy Tribunal for an order to address the breach and may include an order terminating the tenancy.  

The Tenancy Tribunal can award compensation or order work to be done up to a value of $12,000. 

See Forms and Info for template letters advising 10 working days notice to remedy a breach.