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Renting in New Zealand: bonds, rent in advance and your rights
What a landlord can ask you to pay, where your bond must go, and how to get it back at the end of a tenancy.
- Last checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Next review
- 21 Apr 2027
Most newcomers rent, either a whole house or apartment, or a room in a shared “flat”. Residential tenancies are covered by the Residential Tenancies Act, and Tenancy Services (part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) is the official source of information.
Before you pay
Before you pay anything
- A bond can be no more than four weeks’ rent. A landlord can ask for less.
- Your landlord must lodge the bond with Tenancy Services within 23 working days of receiving it, and give you a receipt.
- Tenancy Services holds the bond, not the landlord, until the tenancy ends.
- Landlords and property managers can’t charge you a letting fee.
- Get a written tenancy agreement and keep a copy.
What to do next
- Do a property inspection with the landlord when you move in. Take dated photos of every room, including existing marks and damage.
- Check your bond has been lodged, you can confirm with Tenancy Services.
- At the end of the tenancy, you and the landlord agree how the bond is refunded. If no money is owed, you should get the full bond back.
Common mistakes
- Paying a bond in cash without a receipt.
- Moving in without photos of the property’s condition.
- Paying a “holding deposit” for a place you haven’t seen, to someone you can’t verify. See our guide on rental scams.
Where to check the current rule
Rules change, for example, pet bonds and bond top-ups when rent rises have their own rules. Always check Tenancy Services for the current position before you sign or pay.