What should I check before renting a house in NZ?

Walk through slowly and treat the viewing as an inspection, not a tour. Open wardrobes and smell for must. Look at ceiling corners and window frames for mould. Find the fixed heater in the living room, check there are extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom, and test that locks on doors and windows actually work. Run a tap to gauge water pressure and look under the sink while it runs.

If the viewing is rushed, ask for a second one at a different time of day. A landlord with a sound house has no reason to keep you moving through it.

Read the tenancy agreement in full. Confirm the term (fixed or periodic), the rent and how often it is paid, the bond amount, and who the landlord or property manager actually is. The agreement must include a statement about Healthy Homes compliance, the bond cannot exceed four weeks' rent, and letting fees charged to tenants are banned.

Anything agreed verbally at the viewing, like a promised heat pump or new carpet, should be written into the agreement before you sign, not chased afterwards.

The location sets your daily routine, and parts of it cannot be negotiated later. Drive the commute at peak time rather than trusting the listing's estimate. If you have children, confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address, because zone boundaries can run down one side of a street. Low-lying sections near streams can flood, which matters for your belongings and your contents insurance.

Before committing to a rental you can look up any NZ address at checkmybuilder.co.nz/property to see known natural hazards, flood-prone zoning and which school zones it sits in.

Complete the initial property inspection report with the landlord and photograph every room, including existing marks, chips and stains. The bond refund at the end of a tenancy turns on the difference between the condition at the start and the condition at the end, so the start needs evidence.

Keep a copy of the signed agreement and the inspection report somewhere safe, and confirm the bond has been lodged with Tenancy Services within a few weeks of paying it. You should receive confirmation of lodgement directly; if it never arrives, ask.