The Wellington Landlord Guide.

Getting your property ready

Before a property goes on the market, it needs to meet New Zealand's Healthy Homes Standards — covering heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture and drainage, and draught stopping. It's worth budgeting time and money for this early, since a compliant, well-presented property both rents faster and attracts better tenants. See our Healthy Homes Checklist for the full breakdown.

Pricing it right

Wellington's rental market varies significantly by suburb — a one-bedroom in Te Aro rents very differently to the same size property in Johnsonville or Tawa. Overpricing means longer vacancies and lost income; underpricing leaves money on the table. We price every property against live comparable listings and recent lettings in that specific suburb, not a citywide average. See our Wellington Rental Market Report for suburb-level detail.

Finding the right tenant

Good tenant selection is the single biggest factor in how smoothly a tenancy runs. That means genuine reference and income checks, not just a quick look at an application form — and marketing the property widely enough that you're actually choosing between good candidates, rather than accepting whoever applies first.

Staying compliant

Beyond Healthy Homes, landlords have ongoing obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 — correct notice periods, bond handling (now processed online through Bond Hub), safe and habitable premises, and proper record-keeping. The rules have changed several times in recent years, so it's worth working with a property manager who tracks this actively rather than assuming last year's rules still apply. See our Compliance & Notice Periods guide for the current requirements.

Managing it yourself, or not

Self-managing can work for landlords with the time, local knowledge and appetite for the admin — chasing rent, coordinating maintenance, handling inspections, keeping up with law changes. Many landlords find that a property manager pays for itself in reduced vacancy, better tenants and fewer costly mistakes, on top of simply getting the time back. Either way, understanding what's actually involved is the right starting point.

What good management actually looks like

At New Zealand Realty, that means transparent reporting you can see any time, not just when you ask; a data-led approach to pricing and rent reviews; proactive maintenance rather than reactive firefighting; and a real person who knows your property, not a call centre. Every dollar is accounted for through an audited trust account.