Reference

NZ Tenancy Rules 2026

Last updated: May 2026

4 weeks

Maximum Bond

12 months

Min Between Rent Rises

1 Jul 2025

Healthy Homes Deadline

Key rules for residential tenancies in New Zealand under the Residential Tenancies Act, administered by Tenancy Services. These cover what landlords can charge, how rent increases work, notice periods, and the Healthy Homes Standards. Rules can change, so confirm the current position with Tenancy Services for any specific situation.

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Bond and Rent

Rule	Detail
Maximum bond	Up to 4 weeks rent
Bond lodgement	Must be lodged with Tenancy Services within 23 working days; landlords cannot hold it themselves
Rent in advance	No more than 2 weeks rent in advance can be required
Rent increases	Allowed at most once every 12 months, with at least 60 days written notice
Letting fees	Banned; tenants cannot be charged a letting fee

Source: Tenancy Services - Rent, bond and bills

Notice Periods

Situation	Notice
Tenant ending a periodic tenancy	At least 21 days
Landlord ending a periodic tenancy (with a valid reason)	Varies by reason; commonly 42 or 90 days
Landlord selling or moving in	Notice period set by the rules for that reason

Notice periods and the grounds on which a landlord can end a tenancy have changed in recent years, so check the current rules for your circumstances. Fixed-term tenancies do not automatically end; they roll into periodic unless both parties agree otherwise.

Healthy Homes Standards

All residential rental properties must meet the Healthy Homes Standards, covering heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture and drainage, and draught stopping. The final compliance deadline was 1 July 2025, so all tenancies should now comply. Landlords must include a statement of their compliance in new tenancy agreements.

Source: Tenancy Services - Healthy homes and Tenancy Services - Ending a tenancy

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