Landlords' rental access
Question from Michael updated on 10th August 2020:
In an answer to Marianne dated 29 Aug 2016 you made the following comment "Landlords don’t need to give notice or obtain the tenant’s permission to come onto the property (the land or facilities). This usually happens when a landlord has agreed to do things, like mow the lawns for the tenants. A landlord entering on to the property has to avoid interfering with the tenant’s ‘quiet enjoyment’." Does this still apply?
Our expert Bernard Parker responded:
In the normal course of things anybody can walk up to your front door and knock on the door. No permission is required to do this. However, you can ask the person to leave the property. If a landlord or designated contractor has given the necessary notice (48 hours for normal maintenance, and 24 hours for “necessary” maintenance), they may come onto the property to carry out that work. A landlord cannot repeatedly “just turn up”, as that type of behaviour impacts upon the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment of the property.
Bernard is principal of Quinovic – Kapiti-Mana. Quinovic's outstanding people and systems provide the most professional, effective and reliable residential property management service in the NZ market for over 30 years.Search the Ask an Expert archive
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