Help for landlords.

Managing the property yourself

There are responsibilities that come with managing your own rental property but there are benefits too. Taking care of the day-to-day can help reduce costs and it gives you the freedom to make your own decisions.

Tenancy Services has some handy templates like tenancy agreements and bond forms. They also have  a list of your rights and responsibilities as a landlord, including what you can and can't do in relation to your property and tenants.

Professional property management

Another option is to pay a property manager to take care of some landlord responsibilities, including regular property inspections, screening tenants, checking references and doing credit checks. They should also understand the legal requirements around bond payments, managing tenants and how to manage and follow up on issues..

You could give your property manager a budget for regular property maintenance or unexpected repairs, so they don't trouble you when something needs attention.

To help you choose a property manager that matches your needs, here's a handy checklist of questions .

Make sure your property is covered

Make sure your insurance policy covers your needs as a landlord. Westpac's Landlord's Plus insurance could help you recover lost rent (up to 8 months) if your rental becomes unliveable after an insured event. There are also benefits to help cover deliberate damage by tenants and additional cover for whiteware and window coverings up to $20,000.

Making sure your income is protected

Owning one or more investment properties may have increased your debt, so you may wish to consider insurance cover to help protect your income. Get income protection

Please read the policy wording to understand the terms, conditions, excesses, limits, sub-limits and exclusions that may apply. Cover is subject to the current underwriting criteria. Claims payments are subject to cover and approval.  

Westpac general insurance products are arranged by Westpac New Zealand Limited (Westpac) and underwritten by Tower Limited (Tower). None of Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 (incorporated in Australia), Westpac, or any member of the Westpac group of companies guarantee the obligations of, or any products issued by, Tower or any member of the Tower group of companies. Westpac will receive commission payments as a result of the arrangement of Tower policies.

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