Tenant renovation agreement

Our Experts Answer:

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, a landlord has a responsibility to provide and maintain rental premises in a reasonable state of repair considering the age and character of the premises. Although ongoing maintenance is required with any residential tenancy, the Act also states that a tenant is ‘entitled to have quiet enjoyment of the premises without interruption by the landlord or anyone at the premises on the landlord’s behalf.’

Any work that is not necessary repairs or maintenance, like interior cosmetic improvements, may only be done with the tenant’s agreement at a mutually agreed time. Speak to your landlord in the first instance about options that may work for both of you, such as:

• Requesting a rent reduction until the interior painting is completed

• Asking for compensation for the power and water used by the tradespeople

• Negotiating the timing of the painting work

• Checking if the landlord will consider contributing to the costs of moving temporarily to alternative accommodation for the time the work is being carried out.

If you are unable to come to an agreement regarding timing of cosmetic improvements, the landlord cannot enter the premises to carry out the work. Either party can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to have the matter resolved.

For more information on access, go to tenancy.govt.nz/maintenance-and-inspections/access. You can also subscribe to our e-newsletter Tenancy Matters here.