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Residential Tenancies Act 1986

Boarding house tenancies - Rights and obligations of landlords and tenants

66H: Landlord’s obligations at start of tenancy

You could also call this:

“Landlords must give tenants important information and a clean room when they move into a boarding house.”

When you start living in a boarding house, your landlord has some things they must do for you. They need to give you a copy of the current house rules. If there are any services that you might have to pay extra for, the landlord must give you a list of these services and how much they cost.

When you first move into your room, your landlord must make sure you can use the whole room by yourself. If you’re sharing a room, they must make sure you have your own sleeping area. The room should be clean when you move in. There shouldn’t be any legal reasons stopping you from living in the room.

The landlord also has to follow some other rules about smoke alarms and insulation and healthy homes standards. These rules help make sure your room is safe and comfortable to live in.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3283909.

Topics:
Housing and property > Renting
Health and wellbeing > Home safety and repairs
Previous

66G: Quiet enjoyment, or

“Tenants have the right to enjoy their home peacefully without others bothering them.”

Next

66I: Landlord’s ongoing obligations, or

“Landlords must keep boarding houses clean, safe, and in good repair, following rules to protect tenants.”

Part 2A Boarding house tenancies
Rights and obligations of landlords and tenants

66HLandlord’s obligations at start of tenancy

  1. When a tenant enters into a boarding house tenancy agreement, the landlord must give the tenant—

  2. a copy of the current house rules; and
    1. if services are or may be provided by the landlord that are not covered by the rent, a list of the services and their cost.

      1. When a tenant first takes occupation of a boarding room under a boarding house tenancy, the landlord must ensure that—

      2. the tenant has vacant possession of the room or, if the room is shared, of the tenant’s sleeping quarters in the room; and
        1. the room is in a reasonable state of cleanliness; and
          1. there is no legal impediment to the tenant’s occupation of the room.

            1. See also sections 66I(1B)(a) and 66IA.

            Compare
              Notes
              • Section 66H: inserted, on , by section 49 of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 95).
              • Section 66H(3): inserted, on , by section 40 of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019 (2019 No 37).