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  • How do I apply for a property?

    Please click on APPLY NOW to complete an application form - you will be asked to provide the contact details of a current and previous landlord, referees and a copy of your ID.

  • Who needs to complete an application form?

    Every person (over the age of 18 years) who wishes to reside at a Housingplus property should complete their own individual application form. Please click on APPLY NOW - you will be asked to provide the contact details of a current and previous landlord, referees and a copy of your ID.

  • What are the move-in costs?

    You will be asked to pay a Bond (equivalent to three weeks' rent) within 24 hours of receiving an offer of tenancy for a property. Thereafter you will pay rent fortnightly in advance - your first fortnightly rent payment will be due on the business day before the start-date of your new tenancy.

  • Help, I've got a maintenance issue!

    Is it an EMERGENCY or URGENT maintenance?

    You have an issue at your flat that needs immediate attention. 
    eg. a broken window, a significant leak, an electrical problem posing a fire risk, sewerage leak etc. 
    Call 04-974 9646 and follow the prompts to be immediately connected to a Housingplus contact person.


    Is it GENERAL maintenance?

    This is a non-urgent issue at your flat that can be fixed by Housingplus at a later date. 
    eg. a broken door handle, a dripping tap in the bathroom. 
    Please click on MAINTENANCE REQUEST to report the details of the maintenance issue. 

  • How often are inspections?

    Most inspections are carried out every 3-4 months or as required by the property owner's insurance policy. 

    You will be given 48 hours' advance notice of a pending inspection. Our inspections include taking photos to keep track of general wear and tear in the property, and any maintenance issues or repairs that are required.

    Typically in a 12-month fixed term tenancy, there is : 

    1. an Entry Inspection on the start date of a tenancy
    2. a Full Inspection
    3. a Routine Inspection
    4. an Exit Inspection on the last day of the tenancy

  • Can we leave our fixed term tenancy early?

    If you and your co-tenants are thinking about leaving your tenancy earlier than the end date, you should contact Housingplus well in advance of making any plans. 

    Under the terms of the Residential Tenancies Act, you are required to submit a request to your landlord asking for consent to undertake an assignment of your tenancy. 

    Housingplus has developed a very robust, streamlined process which has been used successfully by tenants over a number of years to assign their tenancy to a new group of tenants.

  • When do I receive the keys to the property?

    You will receive the keys for your flat at the conclusion of your Entry Inspection.

  • Are pets okay?

    Pets are not allowed at Housingplus properties (including any form of pet-sitting), and this is noted in the terms of a tenancy agreement.

  • One of our tenants wants to leave - what should we do?

    The first step is for the tenant who wishes to leave … they should contact Housingplus promptly and discuss their situation. Housingplus will help guide them to submit a formal request, in order to gain consent to commence a Change of Tenant process.

  • What's the process for ending our tenancy?

    If you are on a Periodic Tenancy, you will need to give 21 days' written notice to Housingplus. 

    If you are on a Fixed Term Tenancy, you have a legal binding agreement with a specifed end date for your tenancy. However, you are entitled to apply to Housingplus to undertake an Assignment of Tenancy. The first step is for the Tenant Representative … they should contact Housingplus promptly and discuss your tenant group's situation. Housingplus will help guide you to submit a formal request, in order to gain consent to commence an Assignment of Tenancy process.

  • If I log a maintenance request, do I have to pay the bill?

    There are two types of call-outs for maintenance issues/problems in rental properties:

    1. General faults/wear and tear in the property which is the responsibility of Housingplus
    2. User fault/negligence/damage in the property which is chargeable to the tenant

    For example … 

    • If the power in your flat is disconnected due to a wiring fault or storm damage, Housingplus will cover the costs of any repairs and call-outs to the property.
    • If you accidently lock yourself out of your flat and a locksmith has to visit the property to let you back in, all costs relating to the locksmith's call-out and service fees are paid by you, the tenant.

  • Am I allowed to dry wet clothes/laundry inside my flat on a drying rack?

    As part of our commitment to the goals of Healthy Homes, all Housingplus tenancy agreements contain a clause specifying that the air-drying of wet or damp clothes on laundry racks is not permitted inside a property. 

    Tenants can apply to Housingplus for an exemption to this condition if they meet specific Healthy Homes-related conditions. For further information, please contact Housingplus.

  • My neighbours are really noisy - what should I do?

    Try approaching your neighbours to explain and discuss the situation about how you're being affected. 

    In all situations tenants are entitled to contact WCC Noise Control directly to ask them to visit the property and assess the sound level. If it is an ongoing issue, please consult with Housingplus for advice.

  • Can I make changes to the property?

    Under the terms of the Residential Tenancies Act, tenants can apply to their landlord for consent to make minor changes to a property. Please consult with Housingplus for advice.

  • Why do I pay rent in advance?

    Understanding why you pay rent ‘in advance’ can be confusing. 

    Basically it’s important to pay rent in advance to ensure you don't accrue rent arrears and that you are complying with the terms of your tenancy.

    Think of it like this … when you join a gym, you pay a month’s subscription fee before you use the facilities. Before the end of that first month, you pay again for the following month. You’re paying for the next period in advance, just like your rent.

  • I’ve lost my key/locked them inside – what should I do?

    If you’ve lost your key and it's unlikely that you'll find it, you should notify Housingplus promptly. While you can request a new key, you will be responsible to pay for the cost of a replacement key. If the loss of your key poses a security risk for your flat, Housingplus will discuss this with you and your co-tenants eg. your key and keychain has your name and address on it.

    If you've locked yourself out of your flat during business hours, contact Housingplus. You may be allowed to collect and borrow a key temporarily which must be returned within 24 hours.

    If you’ve locked yourself out of your flat after hours, you can call a locksmith to let you back inside. Any costs associated with the locksmith’s services are your responsibility.

     

  • Should I get insurance?

    To protect your personal belongings, we recommend that you have contents insurance with a tenant liability extension for the duration of your tenancy.

  • Can I sublet my room while I am away?

    Subletting is a legal term to describe a very specific contractual arrangement that has significant complications (eg. it often leads to conflict between tenants). This is why our answer to this question is no, Housingplus doesn’t allow any form of subletting during a tenancy. However, tenants are welcome to contact Housingplus to discuss the situation that they are trying to address. This will allow the parties to work together to try and find the best way forward for the situation that the tenant group is seeking to progress.

  • Help – we’ve accidentally caused damage in the property!

    You should contact Housingplus promptly to discuss what has happened so that together we can find the best way forward.

  • Can another person live with us?

    If you want to have a person join your tenancy as a tenant, you should contact Housingplus promptly and well in advance of that person living with you. You will be guided by Housingplus to submit a request for adding a person to your tenancy, and the prospective tenant will be subject to Housingplus credit and checking processes.

    At your discretion you can invite someone (over the age of 18 years) to live with you as a “flatmate” as long as you do not exceed the maximum number of people allowed to reside at the property. 

    Please be aware ... a flatmate is not covered by the Residential Tenancies Act, so they won’t have any tenant rights or a relationship with Housingplus. They will only be responsible to you so if they suddenly leave without notifying you or they stop paying rent, you are still fully responsible for all of the terms and conditions of your tenancy.

  • How much notice do I give to end my tenancy?

    If you are on a periodic tenancy, you are required to give 21 days’ notice in writing to Housingplus. 

    If you are on a fixed term tenancy, this is a legal binding contract to the end date of your tenancy.

  • Do we need to be home for inspections, how should we prepare?

    Entry Inspection ... we recommend that all tenants should attend this inspection. If this is not possible, then at least one tenant should attend the inspection and be nominated to sign the Entry Inspection Report on behalf of all tenants.

    Full or Routine Inspections ... you don’t need to be home for these inspections, but you are most welcome to be there. You should prepare for these inspections by ensuring the property is reasonably clean and tidy, inside and outside.

    Exit Inspection ... we recommend that all bondholders are present at the inspection so that a Bond Refund Form can be promptly signed off at the conclusion of the inspection.

  • When do we get our bond back?

    Our goal is to have a Bond Refund Form completed and signed off at the conclusion of an exit inspection so that the form can be submitted to Tenancy Services on the same day (or within 24 hours).

    We have found the best way to achieve our goal is for all bondholders to be present at their exit inspection. When this happens, we almost always achieve agreement and sign-off on any bond deductions and the Bond Refund Form, and the end of the tenancy can be concluded. This enables Housingplus to submit the bond refund form to Tenancy Services on the same day of the exit inspection and a refund can (usually) be paid by them within 15 working days.

  • Help - we don't have any power!

    Let's try and diagnose ...

    Have you connected your flat to a power supplier?
    Are you up to date with paying your power bills?

    If you've lost power in a specific room/area of your flat ...
    Find your fuse box and check that all switches (circuit breakers) are in the correct position.
    Switches are "on" in the UP position and "off" in the DOWN position.
    If a switch has tripped due to an overload, it will usually move to the "off" position.
    Try resetting the switch by moving the switch back to the "on" position.
    If a switch won't stay in the "on" position, it could indicate an overload.

    If you've suddenly lost power everywhere in your flat ...
    Have you checked with neighbours to see if they have power?
    Have you called your power supplier to ask if there are outages in your area?

    We're always happy to help diagnose why your power has been affected ... feel free to call your property manager or (04) 974 9646 and follow the prompts to be connected to an after-hours Housingplus contact person.

  • Can I use Housingplus as a reference for future renting?

    Absolutely!  If you're applying for another flat in the future, you are welcome to use our contact details as a "landlord reference". 

    Tip - it's helpful to include the address of the Housingplus property that you rented on your future applications. If you would like a written reference about your tenancy, please send a request to admin@housingplus.co.nz.