Tenant Information Guide

A practical guide to your tenancy

Keep your tenancy agreement, property manager’s contact details and entry inspection report together. They are the starting point for questions about payments, access, repairs and moving out. This guide brings the everyday tasks into one place, with direct links to the full official guidance.

Before you move in

Check the start date, rent, bond, payment instructions, included chattels and any agreed conditions. Arrange electricity and internet for the date you take possession, and confirm the water arrangements in your agreement. Use the property address to check Auckland Council’s rubbish collection information.

Walk through the home against the entry report and tell your property manager about any differences. Photographs of existing marks, damaged fittings or appliance condition can help keep the record clear. Find the smoke alarms, water shutoff and the contact details you would use for a repair. Do not assume an appliance or system works in the same way as the one at your previous home.

Living in the home

Pay rent as agreed, keep the home reasonably clean and tidy, and report repairs promptly. Use extractor fans and ventilation as intended, and report persistent dampness, leaks or mould rather than allowing a problem to grow. Discuss proposed alterations or a new pet before making changes.

For pets covered by the rules from 1 December 2025, use the written consent process. Different provisions apply to an existing approved pet. Our tenancy law page links to the current pet rules and explains the response timeframe.

Repairs and urgent help

Use our Maintenance Request Form for non-urgent repairs, including the address and a description of the problem. For urgent repairs, contact your property manager or landlord directly using your tenancy contacts. Call 111 for immediate danger requiring emergency services. Keep the after-hours help page handy.

Routine inspections

An inspection checks the property’s condition and identifies maintenance. For an ordinary residential tenancy, the landlord must give at least 48 hours’ notice, no more than 14 days ahead. The law permits inspections at most once every four weeks, between 8am and 7pm; that is a legal limit rather than a promise of the office’s inspection frequency. Read the inspection rules and use the notice supplied for your tenancy to plan access.

Moving out

Check whether your tenancy is periodic or fixed term before giving written notice. Confirm the final date and arrangements for keys, remotes and the final inspection. Leave the home reasonably clean and tidy, remove your belongings and keep photographs of its condition. Discuss any proposed bond deduction and keep a copy of the agreed bond refund documents. Do not sign a blank bond refund form.

For notice requirements and the bond process, use Tenancy Services’ ending-a-tenancy guidance. Its new-to-renting resources provide fuller explanations of rights and responsibilities.

Tenant information from our office

For the Tenant Information Guide and information specific to your managed tenancy, contact Ray White Silverdale using the form below, call 09 309 6868 or email silverdale.nz@raywhite.com. The public guidance on this page is available without making a request.

Make your guide request clear

To request the Tenant Information Guide, enter “Tenant Information Guide request” in the Message field below and include any question you want the office to help with. You can also email the Silverdale office and put the guide name in the subject. The contact form sends an enquiry; it is not an instant download. You can read the practical information on this page straight away.