General

In most areas of New Zealand, accommodation to buy or rent isn’t difficult to find. There are, however, a few exceptions. For example, in Auckland, accommodation is relatively expensive (prices are often as much as 50 per cent higher than elsewhere) and can be in short supply in popular areas. Property prices rose sharply in New Zealand during the early years of the 21st century, but in 2005 price increases tailed off and some commentators are predicting price falls in 2007.

As in many other countries, there has recently been an increase in apartment living in city centres, and prices of apartments in some areas are comparable with those for houses, although most New Zealanders prefer a house with a garden. Home ownership in New Zealand is high at around 68 per cent (similar to the UK), down from 74 per cent in 1995, and most New Zealanders prefer to purchase their home rather than rent. In recent years, however, there’s been a marked increase in property rentals, particularly in Auckland. In addition, a significant number of New Zealanders also own a holiday home (called a ‘bach’ in the North Island and a ‘crib’ in the South Island), although it’s often quite a modest property.

New Zealanders are quite mobile and tend to move home much more frequently than people in some other countries, with nearly 100,000 domestic properties changing hands each year (a large number for a country with just over 4 million inhabitants). During the last few years there has been a small but marked movement of people from the South to the North Island and from throughout the country to Auckland, which has helped to fuel property shortages and accompanying higher prices in this part of the country.

Rented Properties

You can find property for rent through rental agencies, estate agencies, which sometimes handle rentals, and in the small ads in local newspapers. If you see anything advertised in a newspaper you should arrange to view it straight away, as the best properties are snapped up quickly. You should never rent anything without viewing it first!

New Zealand landlords and agents are notoriously inventive in their descriptions (although legislation has been introduced to try to curb this) and they can make the shabbiest, most tumbledown ‘villa’ sound like a palace. If you use an agency or estate agent to find a rental property, he will usually charge at least one week’s rent as commission.

It’s possible to arrange to rent a house or flat before you arrive in New Zealand, and several immigration consultants (and even some travel agencies) can arrange rentals for you. Bear in mind that properties obtained through these sources are often more expensive than those obtained locally. Another drawback of renting from abroad is that it’s difficult to picture a property accurately from thousands of miles away and the location may prove to be inconvenient (although it may look ideal on a map).

Rental Contract

When renting property in New Zealand, it’s usual to sign a tenancy agreement, although the Department of Building and Housing issues a standard agreement for landlords and tenants. If your landlord uses this agreement and you’re happy with the details, it isn’t usually necessary to have it checked by a lawyer as the terms and conditions are simple and written in non-legal language.

Most tenancy agreements are on a periodic basis, which means that the tenancy continues indefinitely until either party gives notice. A tenant is required to give 21 days notice to end a tenancy, but a landlord must give 90 days, except in exceptional circumstances, such as when he wishes to move into the property himself (in which case he needs to give 42 days notice only). It’s also possible to have a tenancy agreement for a fixed period, in which case the tenancy lasts for the period agreed at the outset only, although it can be extended by mutual agreement.