Tenancy A-Z

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Goods

Goods include goods, baggage and chattels of any description including animals, plants, money, documents and anything of value.

The landlord cannot seize or dispose of the tenant’s goods as security or in payment for rent owing, or for any other reason arising from the tenancy, except pursuant to an order of the Tenancy Tribunal.

At the end of the tenancy, the tenant must leave in or at the property all chattels provided by the landlord for the use of the tenant. If the tenant abandons goods at the end of the tenancy, the landlord can dispose of any perishable goods and can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to dispose of the rest. See abandonment of goods for more information.

Where goods are taken, the landlord or tenant can recover these from the other or may apply to the Tenancy Tribunal for them to be returned, or to be compensated for their loss. If the landlord has seized goods, tenants may also seek exemplary damages to be awarded against the landlord.

Housing

The Department of Building and Housing and Tenancy Services neither provides accommodation to tenants nor manages or inspects properties for landlords. To apply for State-owned accommodation, contact Housing New Zealand .

Infestations

The landlord must provide the premises (including facilities) in a reasonable state of cleanliness to the tenant. In doing this, they should take into account all requirements in respect of building, health and safety so far as they apply to the property. This includes providing the property free of vermin and infestation. Where this is not done, the tenant should notify the landlord and may issue a notice for the landlord to remedy the breach.

Where the tenant does something to attract the vermin or infestation into or onto the property, or causes an infestation, the tenant is liable to remedy the problem. The landlord may ask the tenant to fix the problem and may issue a notice for the tenant to remedy the breach.

Where the infestation was not present at the beginning of the tenancy and neither the landlord nor tenant has done anything to cause it, responsibility for the eradication of the infestation is uncertain. Often in this situation landlords and tenants will agree to divide the cost of eradication between them.