Tenants rights and tips on how to secure a Marlborough property for rent
When seeking a rental in Marlborough, it’s always great to have some sound advice on the quest to find the perfect home. What about the difference between the house for rent you’d like and what you can afford? How do you deal with tenancy agreements and who tells you about your rights as a tenant?
At Bayleys Rental Property Management we’re keen to help you find the best possible home to rent, and we aim to have plenty to choose from.
Bayleys’ Rental Agents know that tenants require more than just rental property listings. Therefore, our Property Management experts also give FREE advice for tenants on how to make sure you get a great rental property and what information landlords usually require before accepting a new tenant. We offer information on tenancy agreements and tenants’ rights.
We’d like to start our tenancy advice with a quick overview over your tenants’ rights in New Zealand.
When moving into your new rental in Marlborough you can expect to …
- Get a copy of the signed tenancy agreement.
- Have your bond money sent to the Department of Building and Housing within 23 working days. and get the a receipt for any payment you have made.
- Shift into a clean and tidy property.
- Find all locks in working condition, with the property being reasonably secure.
- Have locks changed only with your consent.
- Be notified about any rent increases at least 60 days in advance.
- Be notified if your landlord decides to put the property on the market.
- Have your consent obtained before your landlord shows the property to real estate agents, buyers or prospective tenants.
- Be paid back for any urgent work you have paid for (you need to prove you tried to tell the landlord about the problem before getting it fixed and didn’t cause it on purpose or by being careless).
- Be given the following notice periods:
- 42 days to vacate the property once a sale has gone unconditional or if the owner/family member needs to move in.
- 90 days if your landlord wants the tenancy to end.
- Be given 48 hours’ notice for property inspections which are to be done between 8am and 7pm and not more often than once every 4 weeks.
- Be given 24 hours’ notice for repairs which are to be carried out between 8am and 7pm.
You should NOT have to …
- Pay more than 4 weeks’ rent as bond.
- Pay more than 2 weeks’ rent in advance, or pay rent before it is due.
- Endure interference with your peace, comfort and privacy.
- Accept the unreasonable refusal to put up fixtures like shelves.
- Endure being evicted (this needs a possession order enforced by the District Court).
- Have your belongings taken as a security for money owed at any time during or after the tenancy or accept being refused to get back belongings left behind at the end of the tenancy (provided you pay any actual and reasonable storage costs).