Potential Changes to Tenancy Termination Rules: What You Need to Know

As part of ongoing updates to the Residential Tenancies Act, several changes are proposed to come into effect in early 2025 . These changes are a reversal of many of the amendments Labour made back in Feb 2021. Here’s a breakdown of what is currently being considered with the select committee.

1. Reintroduction of a 90-Day ‘No Cause’ Termination Notice: Property owners will once again be able to issue a 90-day notice to terminate a tenancy without providing a specific reason.
2. Adjusted Notice Periods for Tenancies: For periodic tenancies, 63-day notice reduced to 42-day notice if the property owner or a family member needs to occupy the property or if the property has an unconditional sale agreement and the new owner wants it vacant.
3. Pet Bond Introduction: A new provision will allow property owners to request a pet bond of up to 2 weeks, providing financial security in case of any damage caused by pets. Tenants will still have the right to request pets, but property owners will have more confidence in maintaining their property standards. We delve deeper in to pets in rental properties here.
4. Tenant notice period: In the case of a periodic tenancy (or at the end of a fixed term tenancy) a tenant can now give 21 days notice to vacate, a reduction from 28 days notice currently.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop says: “These changes are part of the Government’s plan to create a well-functioning rental property market, which itself is part of the wider plan to solve New Zealand’s housing crisis.”

At Wendell Property, we are committed to keeping you informed and helping you navigate these changes smoothly. Feel free to contact us for more details or if you have any questions about how these changes might affect you.