# Renting in Christchurch



## mackers26 (Feb 25, 2013)

Can anyone advise me of what Landlords require when renting a property. Bearing in mind that i come from overseas will they ask for references & will references from home do? 

Thanks


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## topcat83 (Apr 16, 2009)

mackers26 said:


> Can anyone advise me of what Landlords require when renting a property. Bearing in mind that i come from overseas will they ask for references & will references from home do?
> 
> Thanks


Hi there.
Yes you will need references, and as you won't be able to get NZ ones, if you can. bring some with you. (PS try and get some written ones for your work as well, in case you want to move on in the near future!)

You will pay a bond on starting a rental - usually 2-3 weeks worth. This will be lodged with a bond agency, and you should get it back at the end. However, if there are costs for cleaning, repairs, etc. these will be deducted. 

A tip: Take a digital camera with you and take lots of photos of any damage (even small) when you move in. Then do the same at the end. 
Then if there are any disputes you'll have proof of original condition.

See General renting publications, includes: Renting and You, Tenancy - Department of Building and Housing


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## mackers26 (Feb 25, 2013)

topcat83 said:


> Hi there.
> Yes you will need references, and as you won't be able to get NZ ones, if you can. bring some with you. (PS try and get some written ones for your work as well, in case you want to move on in the near future!)
> 
> You will pay a bond on starting a rental - usually 2-3 weeks worth. This will be lodged with a bond agency, and you should get it back at the end. However, if there are costs for cleaning, repairs, etc. these will be deducted.
> ...


Thanks for the advice, i suspected as much.
I have plenty of work references, all required for job & visa app. Do the references required for renting have to be from previous landlords or just general good character references. Only i have owned my own home 10+ years & lived with parents before hand.


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## topcat83 (Apr 16, 2009)

mackers26 said:


> Thanks for the advice, i suspected as much.
> I have plenty of work references, all required for job & visa app. Do the references required for renting have to be from previous landlords or just general good character references. Only i have owned my own home 10+ years & lived with parents before hand.


Explain your home ownership to the agent - there are many others in the same boat as you. So personal references should be fine. You may find that a couple of your work references would suit too.


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

mackers26 said:


> Thanks for the advice, i suspected as much.
> I have plenty of work references, all required for job & visa app. Do the references required for renting have to be from previous landlords or just general good character references. Only i have owned my own home 10+ years & lived with parents before hand.


Hi,

We had never rented before as we had always owned our own home/homes with a mortgage in the UK.
In the run up to leaving the UK, I approached the bank where we had our accounts and our mortgage company and asked if they would provide a reference should we need one - all agreed they would if they were needed.

Prior to our arrival we rented a fully furnished holiday cottage that we found on TradeMe and paid the deposit whislt still in the UK. Didn't need any references for that. We remained there for 8 weeks.

Also when we received notification that our shipping container was arriving we went on the hunt for an unfurnished long term rental and quickly secured one.
We visited as a family to have a look around with the landlord and the subject of references came up and we just told him the truth that we wouldn't be able to provide a specific reference associated with renting property as we had never done it before. We did offer references from the bank and mortgage company but he was happy not to bother.
Been in the property just over 12 months now and all is well.

May be a little different if you go through an agent as they have a process to satisfy and they are being paid by the landlord to find a suitable tenant.


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## mackers26 (Feb 25, 2013)

Thanks for all the advice guys, i think we should be alrite. I have some good work references, some with a personal touch. 

Strange thing happened today. We went to lunch with my wife's brother at his local rugby club in Belfast & got talking to a player who was the only one in the restaurant at the time & as it turns out he was form Christchurch & was returning in July. Of course we began to question him about the best places to live & he said there aren't many places that aren't good to live in then we mentioned Rolleston. It just so happens thats where he lives & says it would be a great place to bring up a family. He then told me that his mother is involved in the construction industry & knows lots of joiners & carpenters & took my details & said we should hook up when he goes home in July.

Karma or what, everything about NZ seems to be falling into place so nicely. Can't wait to get there.


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## topcat83 (Apr 16, 2009)

mackers26 said:


> Thanks for all the advice guys, i think we should be alrite. I have some good work references, some with a personal touch.
> 
> Strange thing happened today. We went to lunch with my wife's brother at his local rugby club in Belfast & got talking to a player who was the only one in the restaurant at the time & as it turns out he was form Christchurch & was returning in July. Of course we began to question him about the best places to live & he said there aren't many places that aren't good to live in then we mentioned Rolleston. It just so happens thats where he lives & says it would be a great place to bring up a family. He then told me that his mother is involved in the construction industry & knows lots of joiners & carpenters & took my details & said we should hook up when he goes home in July.
> 
> Karma or what, everything about NZ seems to be falling into place so nicely. Can't wait to get there.


Wow - as you say, karma. New Zealand is a very small place - we even have a phone company called '2 degrees' as the stock joke is that everyone in NZ is separated from everyone else by 2 (as opposed to the rest of the world, where it's 6). So for any person, someone that they know will probably know someone that any other NZ person knows (if you get me). Don't know if it's true, but I can't believe the number of times I bump into some random person I know at Auckland airport. Try doing that at Heathrow!


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