Access
Landlords can enter their rental properties at certain times, for certain things. They must give the right amount of notice or get their tenant’s permission. They must also respect the tenant’s reasonable peace, comfort and privacy.
The property is the tenant’s home
The landlord owns the property, but the property is the tenant's home while they are renting it. This means the landlord must respect the tenant's peace, comfort and privacy. This is called "quiet enjoyment".
Landlords can enter their rental properties for various reasons. If the landlord needs to enter the inside of a rental property (to do an inspection or to fix something, for example), they need to give the correct amount of notice or get the tenant’s permission. Otherwise, they may be committing an unlawful act.
The landlord can enter the property if they have a Tenancy Tribunal order allowing entry, or if there is an emergency, such as flooding or a fire.
Landlords can enter the property for inspections
Landlords can regularly inspect their rental properties. This helps make sure that:
- everything is in working order
- any damage to the property is identified, and
- the property is being kept reasonably clean and tidy.
Some insurance providers require the landlord to prove that regular property inspections are taking place.
Landlords must follow certain rules when scheduling or conducting an inspection.
Landlords can enter the property to fix something
Landlords must give tenants at least 24 hours’ notice before they or their contractors enter the property to do any necessary repairs or maintenance. These repairs can be done between 8am and 7pm (or between 8am and 6pm for boarding houses).
The persons responsible for fixing and paying for repairs in a rental property will depend on exactly what needs to be repaired or maintained.
Any repairs or maintenance that are not necessary, like cosmetic improvements, can only be done at an agreed time by the landlord and tenant.
Landlords can enter the property to test for methamphetamine ("meth")
Landlords can test properties for meth contamination during a tenancy, or have a qualified professional carry out detailed meth testing. In these cases, landlords must still provide the correct notice before they or their contractors enter the property.
Guidelines on meth contamination
Landlords must give tenants at least 48 hours’ notice before they or their contractors enter the property to test for meth contamination. For boarding houses, landlords must provide 24 hours’ notice before entering the boarding house room. Testing should be done between 8am and 7pm (or between 8am and 6pm for boarding houses).
Where there are existing tenants, the landlord must provide the test results within 7 days of receiving them.
Landlords must decontaminate properties affected by meth
If detailed testing indicates that a property is contaminated with meth, the landlord is required to decontaminate the property. Tenants may need to temporarily relocate while the decontamination is taking place. They should also consider how to manage any personal goods located in the property.
Guidance on meth contamination
The landlord must give the tenants 24 hours’ notice before their or their contractors enter the property to undertake decontamination work. This should be done between 8am and 7pm (or between 8am and 6pm for boarding houses).
Landlords must complete the decontamination work as soon as practicable. If possible, the landlord should provide the tenant with a schedule of works to inform them of the expected timeframes.
Landlords must ask permission to conduct open homes
If a landlord intends to sell a property, they must notify the tenant in writing. Landlords must ask permission from their tenants to have any professionals or potential buyers enter the property. Landlords cannot simply give notice to their tenants if they want to have an open home or show potential buyers through the house.
Tenants cannot unreasonably refuse access to landlords who intend to sell the property. However, tenants can set reasonable conditions for this access.
Landlords and tenants must understand their rights and responsibilities if a rental property is to be placed on the market for sale. These include permissions and conditions for access.
Landlords must ask permission to show potential tenants through the property
A landlord may want to show potential tenants through the house before the final day of the tenancy. Landlords must ask permission from their current tenants to do this. Landlords cannot simply give notice to their current tenants if they want to show potential tenants through the house.
Tenants cannot unreasonably refuse access to landlords who intend to show the property to potential tenants. However, tenants can set reasonable conditions for this access.
Landlords can enter the grounds without giving notice
Landlords do not need to give notice to come onto the land where the property is located. Landlords can enter these grounds if:
- the tenant has agreed for the landlord to perform maintenance tasks, or
- the landlord is required to perform certain maintenance tasks.
Landlords are responsible for some outside cleaning and maintenance tasks, so they will need to enter the grounds for these reasons. These include tasks such as washing the outside of a house, cleaning the gutters, or clearing hazards.
Landlords should avoid disrupting their tenants' quiet enjoyment of the property in these situations.
Landlords must not use force to enter the property
The landlord must not use force, or threat of force, to enter or attempt to enter the property while the tenant, or anyone with the tenant’s permission, is inside. A landlord who does this commits an offence and is liable on conviction for a financial penalty or imprisonment.
Boarding houses have special rules for entry
Boarding house tenancies have separate rules for when landlords can enter boarding house rooms and conduct inspections.
During the boarding house tenancy
Top tips for access
Last updated: 20 4월 2026
