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Residential Tenancies Act 1986, ss 38, 45(1), 109

Residential Tenancies (Smoke Alarms and Insulation) Regulations 2016, reg 5

As the tenant, you have the right to the quiet enjoyment of the house or flat. The landlord (and people who work for or represent the landlord) can’t interfere with your reasonable peace, comfort and privacy in using the property. If your landlord interferes with these rights in a way that amounts to harassment, the Tenancy Tribunal can order them to pay you up to $2,000.

The landlord has to make sure none of their other tenants disturb you (for example, if they are also the landlord for the next door neighbours, the landlord is responsible for making sure the neighbours don’t disturb your quiet enjoyment).

The landlord has to provide and maintain locks to keep the place secure, and they can’t change the locks without your permission. They have to provide smoke alarms (although you have to change the batteries), and they also have to provide an adequate water collection and storage system in areas where there’s no mains water supply.

Residential Tenancies Act 1986 ss 42A, 42B, 45B

You can make minor changes to your flat with your landlord’s permission. They can’t say no, as long as the change won’t seriously damage the property or it can be easily undone. A minor change could be installing a baby gate, picture hooks, or making furniture earthquake-proof.

Your landlord can’t stop you from getting fibre internet installed for free, and they need to work with you to ensure it’s done within a reasonable period of time. They can only refuse if it would significantly affect the structure of the building, or make it impractical to do any major renovations they want to start within 90 days of your request. Fibre installation is free if you’re in the fibre area. You can check your eligibility at the Chorus search tool – go to: www.chorus.co.nz/getting-fibre.

Residential Tenancies Act 1986, ss 16A, 40(2), 42, 46

While you’re renting your place, you must not:

• cause any damage to the property or chattels, whether intentionally or carelessly, or allow anyone else to cause damage
• use the place to do something illegal, or allow someone else to do something illegal there
• disturb your neighbours
• have more people living in the place than you’re allowed under your tenancy agreement
• make permanent changes to the property (for example, by adding features that can’t be removed easily, like heat pumps, panel heaters, built-in wardrobes and clothes lines) or make any renovations (for example, painting the walls) or any other alterations to the place, unless the tenancy agreement allows this or the landlord has given you written permission. The landlord can’t refuse you permission unreasonably if you ask
• change the locks without the landlord’s permission
• interfere with or block fire escapes.

Note: If your landlord is going to be out of the country for more than three weeks, they have to provide a representative (an “agent”) for you to deal with – for example, if you need to get repairs done.

Residential Tenancies Act 1986, ss 18AA 42C-42G, 49B, Schedule 1AA clauses 42, 46-48

As a tenant, you may only keep a pet in the premises you rent, if:

• your tenancy agreement specifically states you may do so or your landlord gives consent in writing, and
• you follow any reasonable conditions in the tenancy agreement or connected with the consent received from the landlord.

Landlords cannot prohibit you from keeping a pet (whether through a tenancy agreement or denying consent), unless they have reasonable grounds for doing so. They also cannot set unreasonable conditions.

Landlords must respond within 21 days to any written request from a tenant for consent to keep a pet. If your request is denied, the landlord must give the reasons for the decision.

Reasonable grounds for refusing consent include, but are not limited to:

• the unsuitability of the rented premises,
• rules or bylaws prohibit keeping the pet at the property,
• the unsuitability of the pet or pets (including their size, type, number, propensity to cause damage or disruption, classification as “dangerous” or “menacing” under the Dog Control Act 1996, and whether there is good reason to believe that they have a history of attacking people, pets, or livestock), and
• the tenant’s failure to agree to reasonable conditions, failure to comply with bylaws related to the pet(s), or failure to follow reasonable conditions in the past.

The following examples are provided in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 of what may constitute reasonable conditions for keeping a pet:

• payment of a pet bond (see Bond: The landlord’s security against damage or unpaid rent),
• having carpets cleaned to a professional standard when the tenancy ends, if a pet was allowed indoors, and
• restraining any pets when the landlord enters in the premises in accordance with the law.

These are examples only. What is considered reasonable will vary in accordance with the specific circumstances of each case.

It is important to be aware that, from 1 December 2025, your liability as a tenant for any damage to the rented premises resulting from keeping a pet, beyond normal wear and tear, is not limited. This means it is treated very differently to most other forms of accidental damage for which you are liable only for an amount up to the value of 4 weeks’ rent.

This new unlimited liability applies to any damage of which your landlord becomes aware from 1 December 2025, unless you can prove that the damage occurred before that date.