Tenancy agreements
Because of the changes in the residential housing market, with more investors buying homes for rental and the fact that more people are looking for rental accommodation, we want to bring your attention to the legal aspects of tenancy. Tenancy Agreement forms are available on line and also at our office in Masterton. The agreement needs to be carefully read and should be agreeable to both parties. We are happy to help with suggestions if you find the process difficult. Make sure the landlord gives you a copy of the agreement before the tenancy starts, or before changes take effect.
What should be in a tenancy agreement?
By law, a tenancy agreement must be in writing. The agreement must include certain minimum information as well as certain statements about the property.
The minimum details for a tenancy agreement are:
- the full names of the landlord and tenant(s);
- contact addresses of the landlord and tenant(s);
- mobile phone numbers and email addresses (if they have them);
- the address of the rental property;
- the date the tenancy agreement is signed;
- the tenancy start date (and end date if it is a fixed term tenancy);
- whether the tenant is under 18 years;
- the amount of any bond to be paid;
- the amount and frequency of rent payments, and where they are to be paid; and
- any personal items or pieces of furniture provided by the landlord.
Landlords also have to include a number of signed statements These are:
An insulation statement – Tenancy agreements must include a signed statement from the landlord type and condition of all insulation present in the premises.
A healthy homes standards statement – Tenancy agreements must include a signed statement from the landlord that confirms thye comply with the healthy homes standards andwill also need to provide a compliance statement for the healthy homes standards
An insurance statement – Tenancy agreements must include a signed statement from the landlord about whether or not the property is insured and if it is, what any excess amount is for any policies relevant to the tenant’s liability for damage. There must also be a copy of the insurance policy available.
It’s a good idea to attach a property inspection report to the tenancy agreement recording any issues with the property before you move in.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have a problem and we can hopefully point you in the right direction. The Tenancy Services website, has further helpful information
https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/starting-a-tenancy/new-to-tenancy/landlord-compliance-checklist/
FREE, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Phone: 06 377 0078, or 0800 367 222 Address:43 Perry Street, Masterton. Email: wairarapa@cab.org.nz Website: www.cab.org.nz
Recent Comments