From 12 August 2020, the Auckland region is in Alert Level 3.
What does this mean for landlords and tenants?
Moving house
- Tenants can move house, including between different alert level areas.
- Removal companies can assist with moving, with some conditions. Movers will have to comply with physical distancing rules and should keep records for contact tracing purposes.
- For tenants moving between alert level areas, removal companies can assist with moving if they have received an exemption from the Ministry of Health.
- Tenants should have documents on them to show that they are moving house, for example, their signed tenancy agreement. Find out more about the regional travel guidelines and rules on the Government’s COVID-19 website.
- Friends and family can travel with a tenant who is moving, including between different alert level areas, to help the tenant with the move. If they don’t live with the tenant, they must keep records for the purposes of contact tracing. Personal hygiene and surface cleaning practices should be followed, and physical distance maintained
Property inspections
- Routine inspections of rental properties cannot take place unless it is an emergency situation, such as a landlord needing to confirm that emergency maintenance is required. Virtual inspections are an option if the tenants agree.
- At the end of the tenancy, the landlord and tenant should not do the final property inspection together as normal. Rather, we recommend tenants take photos of the property’s condition before leaving.
Property maintenance
- Maintenance can only occur in emergencies. Landlords should obtain tenant approval before emergency maintenance is undertaken. This might include plumbers, electricians and tradespeople who can work on and inside rental properties.
- We recommend landlords arrange for professionals to clean or undertake emergency maintenance of their vacant rental properties.
Property viewings
- Open homes are not permitted.
- Tenants in an Alert Level 3 area cannot travel to an Alert Level 2 area to view a potential rental property.
- In-person viewings for rental properties can take place within the Alert Level 3 area with some restrictions. If the property is tenanted, landlords will need approval from the tenants and viewings should only occur when the tenants are not at the property.
- During in-person viewings, physical distance should be maintained and hygiene measures followed. In-person viewings should be limited to two per day per property.
