How to rent

You will need to work out how much you can afford to pay in rent each week.  You will also need to also consider other bills like electricity, internet and phone bills (etc) that you will also have to pay each month.  If you need help with preparing a budget, go to www.sorted.org.nz where they have a great money planner to help sort your finances out.

To find out more about rental prices in different suburbs, have a look at our suburb resources where you can find out median rent prices, and information about each suburb. You might want to think about how close you want to be to work, uni, transport etc.

Finding a property is simple. Check out our Properties for rent page and search based on the criteria which is relevant to you:

• Which suburb/s you would like to live in (if you don't have a preference leave it blank)
• Select what property type you would like (eg. House, apartment, townhouse etc)
• Select the price range that you want to pay per week
• Choose the number of bedrooms you need
• If needed, you can also choose how many bathrooms you require
• Press 'Search'

A list of properties with your requirements will now appear.  Simply click on a property that interests you to find out more information about it. 

Feel free to drive by any properties of interest to you. If you still like it from the road, call the property manager on the page to organise a viewing.

When you are having a walk through a property, make sure you check about important factors that may affect you:

• When can I move into the property?
• Does the property come furnished and what chattels are included?
• How much is the bond?
• How many people are allowed to live there?
• Who is responsible for looking after the gardens and lawns?
• Are pets allowed?
• Is it a fixed term tenancy or a periodic tenancy?

Once you have viewed the property and decided this is the new home for you, you will need to complete a tenancy application form.

A tenancy application form can be completed online by clicking here or by visiting our branches at either 433 Grey St (Hamilton East) or 11 Ulster St (City).

We will undertake various checks on you and providing all is in order we will prepare a tenancy agreement for you to sign. We will discuss details of bonds, keys, rules and property conditions with you prior to having you sign the agreement.

Once all documents are completed and all money has been paid, you can move into your new home! Make sure that you remember to sort out your contents insurance and who will be helping you move!

An inspection of the property and inventory of what chattels there are (eg. dishwasher etc) will be done by your landlord or property management company before you move in.  After moving into the property, you are legally obliged to report any repairs or maintenance to the landlord ASAP to prevent further damage happening. Your property will be inspected on a regular basis.

This outlines the terms and conditions agreed by both the tenant and the landlord and is recommended that both you and the landlord (or property manager) sign the agreement before you move in to avoid any possible misunderstandings in the future.

You will both receive a copy of the agreement. Along with contact information, it will include the weekly rent amount, frequency and account details for payment, how much the bond is, a list of what chattels are included in the house, what date the tenancy ends (if it's a fixed term) and the type of tenancy. If there are any particular conditions these will also be listed.

A bond is money that you pay as security in case of damage to the rental property, or unpaid rents. Bond is equal to 4 week's rent. All bond money is lodged and held in trust at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Bond Centre in Wellington. You will receive a receipt from the property management company for your bond, acknowledging your payment.

When you move out of the property at the end of your tenancy, the property management company will either refund your bond in full or in part after excluding any claims there may be for damage, outstanding bills, cleaning, or rent arrears etc.