For tenants
Renting made easy.
A few things that make the move, the tenancy and the eventual move-out smoother. Available homes are advertised on Trade Me and Facebook. Applications go through our TPS portal.
Power, phone, internet, gas
To connect services, call FastConnect on 0800 88 55 99 or Moving Hub on 0800 668 369.
Rent payments
Set up an automatic payment so rent leaves on the same day each week. One payment per household is a genuine help. Nominate one person to pay the full rent and we can reconcile it quickly.
Inspections
They happen four times a year. You will get an email 7 to 14 days ahead. You do not need to be home. Please leave the place clean and tidy. If something needs repair, do not save it for inspection day. Email us photos when it happens.
We look at the stove and appliances, rangehood filters, floors, bulbs, lawns and gardens, windows, walls and doors, taps, rubbish, fences and paths. Smoke alarms must be in place with working batteries.
Insurance
Contents insurance covers your belongings. Personal liability cover matters because the Residential Tenancies Act makes tenants, and their guests, responsible for damage caused on purpose or carelessly.
Emergencies
If a life is in danger, call 111. If a pipe has burst and water is everywhere, call us and leave a message if we do not answer. Ringing repeatedly without a message does not move you up the list.
If it can wait until the next business day without damaging the property, email us or call in the morning. We like our tenants. We also like our families.
Call us straight away for a hot water cylinder leaking onto the floor (turn the water off and run the hot taps to empty it), sewage in the yard or drains backing up inside, and anything else that is an immediate health and safety issue.
Smoke alarms
There must be an alarm within three metres of every bedroom, and at least one on each level. A periodic beep means a flat battery, and that is the tenant's job unless it is a sealed unit. Sealed units: contact us and we will sort it.
Questions
Where can I find the status of my application?
Once stage 1 and stage 2 are both complete, we will be in touch within a few days. Tell your references to expect a call. That is what speeds the process up.
What are the move-in costs?
Four weeks' bond and the first week's rent in advance. A pet, if agreed, can mean another two weeks' rent. Allow five to seven weeks' rent when you are moving.
What happened to my week in advance?
Rent in advance is not a spare bond. It pays for the first week you live in the property. You pay on Monday for the week ahead, live that week, then pay again the next Monday. Like filling a petrol tank: you pay for it, then you use it.
How do I give notice?
On a periodic tenancy, give at least 21 days' notice in writing. On a fixed term, tell us you will not be renewing at least 21 days before the end date.
What if I need to break the lease or change a tenant?
Circumstances change. There are options, and there may be a cost. Call your property manager and we will talk through what works for you and the owner.
I've locked myself out.
Call us. Our downtime matters, and so does not leaving you in the weather. Lost keys and lockouts are worth a phone call.
I can't pay my rent.
Tell us before the payment fails. We are reasonable, and rent still has to stay the priority. One to two days late, we text or call. Four days late, a 14-day notice. Six days late, a Tribunal application, which can lead to the tenancy ending.
Leaving
The checklist that gets the bond back.
Bond comes back when the house is empty, clean and ready on or before your last day. If it is not ready for the exit inspection, extra rent can be charged until it is.
Outside
- Lawns mowed and tidy
- Weeds pulled, clippings and rubbish gone
- Oil cleaned from carport, garage, paths and drive
- Cigarette butts picked up
- Your tools removed from the garage and sheds
Before you hand the keys in
- Note meter readings. Do not disconnect the power
- Redirect or disconnect phone and internet
- Redirect mail
- Leave manuals and the fibre cable. They get packed by mistake a lot
- Leave every key, swipe, fob and remote you were given
Inside
- Walls, door frames and skirtings wiped
- Cobwebs, fly dirt, kitchen and bathroom grease and mould removed
- Light fittings cleaned and bulbs working
- Windows, sills and runners cleaned
- Oven, stove racks, trays and glass cleaned
- Rangehood filters degreased
- Bathroom, toilet and laundry cleaned, including behind the toilet and the washing machine
- Take the toilet brush with you
- Heat pump filters and HRV vents cleaned
- Cupboards vacuumed and wiped, blinds cleaned, floors vacuumed and hard floors mopped into the corners
Also check your entry report so chattels that came with the house are still there. If you want names of trades who will not charge the earth for a bond clean, call us.
Bond questions: your property manager, or Tenancy Services on 0800 737 666.
For ovens, power, hot water and leaks, see common issues.