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Residential Tenancies Act 1986

Tenancy agreements - Preliminary matters

13C: Tenancy agreements not unenforceable on grounds not in writing

You could also call this:

“A spoken tenancy agreement is just as valid as a written one.”

You don’t need to worry if your tenancy agreement, or any changes or renewals to it, aren’t written down. Even if other laws say differently, your tenancy agreement is still valid and can be enforced, even if it’s not in writing. This means that verbal agreements about your tenancy are just as important as written ones.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM95028.

Topics:
Housing and property > Renting
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13B: Variations and renewals of tenancy agreements, or

“Changes to your rental agreement must be written down and signed by you and your landlord.”

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13D: Exceptions to requirements relating to tenancy agreements, or

“Some agreements don't need to follow all the rules about how they should be written.”

Part 2 Tenancy agreements
Preliminary matters

13CTenancy agreements not unenforceable on grounds not in writing

  1. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other enactment, no tenancy agreement, or variation or renewal of a tenancy agreement, shall be unenforceable on the grounds that it is not in writing.

Notes
  • Section 13C: inserted, on , by section 6(1) of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 7).