Flatting Do’s & Don’ts

Tenant’s Responsibilities:

Do

  • Always pay rent on time
  • Pay the bills (unless they are included in the rent)
  • Use the premises for residential purposes 
  • Keep the place clean and tidy
  • Replace worn out smoke alarm batteries
  • Notify the landlord ASAP of damages or repairs needed
  • Be respectful to the property, other tenants and neighbours

Don’t

  • Intentionally or carelessly cause damage
  • Sublet without the landlord’s permission 
  • Block any fire escape points or disable smoke alarms
  • Let anything illegal happen on the property
  • Interfere with other tenants or neighbours peace, comfort or privacy
  • Exceed the maximum occupancy in the tenancy agreement (partners can stay over but not move in)
  • Interfere with any locks
  • Sign a bond refund form where the refund amount has been left blank

Landlord/Property Manager’s responsibilities:

Do

  • Make sure the flat is clean before tenants move in
  • Provide receipts (unless tenants pay using online banking)
  • Make sure the flat is secure
  • Give tenants the house insurance details if requested
  • Provide and maintain the property in a reasonable state of repair
  • Provide smoke alarms
  • Meet all building, health, and safety standards under the laws that apply
  • Provide a water supply
  • Meet Healthy Homes Standards
  • Compensate tenants if they have to pay for a serious or urgent repair and they couldn’t contact the landlord/ property manager prior.
  • Make sure that other people (not on the contract) don’t interfere with the tenants’ reasonable peace, comfort, or privacy
  • Lodge the bond within 23 working days 

Don’t

  • Interfere with supply of gas, electricity, water, telephone services, or other services, except where it’s necessary to avoid danger or for maintenance
  • Interfere with any existing locks
  • Increase rent during a fixed term tenancy (unless it is in the contract) or without the correct notice period.  The minimum period between rent increases is twelve months.
  • Ask for more rent until rent in advance has been used up
  • Give tenants personal information to any external party without consent
  • Breach the tenants’ right to quiet enjoyment of the property
  • Decide to sell without giving proper notice
  • Enter the property (inside) without the correct notice period
  • Charge the tenant a letting fee or key money

How to be a good Flattie:

Do

  • Pay your share of the rent and bills on time
  • Establish basic rules – perhaps create and sign a flatting agreement
  • Clean up your own mess and share the load of cleaning the flat. You can use the OUSA chore wheel on the Hub: ousasupporthub.org.nz/flatting
  • Treat your flatmates the way you want to be treated
  • Respect your mates’ space, quiet time and property
  • Check in on flatmates whose behaviour has changed dramatically or that you are worried about. Chat to OUSA Student Support about how to best support other flatmates
  • Communicate honestly about any issues that come up ASAP to ensure things don’t spiral out of control – flat meetings can be a good way to work through issues
  • Be considerate when inviting guests over
  • Have fun as a flat!

Don’t 

  • Leave all the house responsibilities to your flatmates
  • Borrow without asking 
  • Gossip about others in your flat – you live in close proximity, and those walls are probably thinner than you think! 
  • Take other people’s food or leave food in the fridge to rot 
  • Give the silent treatment, be passive-aggressive, yell or be violent towards your flatties
  • Trash the place or other flatmates’ property
  • Have people stay over constantly and not inform your flatties
  • Move out of the flat without informing the landlord or flatmates
  • Move out and not replace your room or stop paying rent