Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 Changes

Friday 20 December 2024

Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024:                                       20 December 2024

The Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill has passed its third reading last Thursday, delivering on the Government’s “commitment to deliver sensible changes to tenancy laws”, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says in his announcement.

Here at Summit Property Management, we see these changes as positive and will help in getting more stock into the rental housing market plus clarify several of the rules rental property owners operate under, below is a summary of the changes.

 

Changes to take effect from - 30^th January 2025

Tenancy termination changes, including: 

• reintroducing ‘no cause’ terminations, meaning a landlord can end a periodic tenancy with 90 days’ notice without requiring a specific reason
• reducing landlords’ notice periods for ending a periodic tenancy to 42 days in specific circumstances
• reducing tenants’ notice periods for ending a periodic tenancy from 28 to 21 days

• reintroducing landlords’ ability to give notice to end a fixed-term tenancy at the end of its term without requiring a specific reason

 

Changes to take effect from – 20^th March 2025

Changes to improve clarity and efficiency, including:

• clarifying that landlords can prohibit smoking inside the main rental premises

• clarifying provisions for withdrawing from a tenancy due to family violence

 

Changes to take effect from – Date TBC – expected late 2025 (commencement is by Order in Council, enabling a date to be set later)

Pet-related changes, including:

• the ability to charge a pet bond at a maximum equivalent of two weeks’ rent

• new pet consent and damage liability rules

 

For more information, please contact any of our property managers here:  https://www.summit.co.nz/property-management/#manager

Or information can be found at MBIE Tenancy Services here:  https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/law-changes/

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