How much bond can a landlord charge in NZ, and how do you get it back?

A landlord in New Zealand can ask for a general bond of no more than 4 weeks' rent. Since 1 December 2025 they can also ask for a separate pet bond of no more than 2 weeks' rent, but only if they have agreed to you keeping a pet. The bond is your money. The landlord does not keep it. They must give you a receipt and lodge it with Tenancy Services within 23 working days, and Tenancy Services holds it until the tenancy ends.

When you move out, the bond comes back to you unless you owe rent, caused damage beyond fair wear and tear, or owe something else under the tenancy. If you and the landlord disagree about who gets what, the Tenancy Tribunal decides.

The basics

• General bond cap: no more than 4 weeks' rent. Charging more is unlawful.
• Pet bond cap: no more than 2 weeks' rent, and only one pet bond per tenancy even if you have two pets. Pet bonds apply to pets you started keeping on or after 1 December 2025 with the landlord's consent.
• No pet bond for disability assist dogs. A landlord cannot charge a pet bond for one.
• Money only. A landlord cannot take a credit card, bank account access, or items like a car or laptop as security.
• Receipt: if you pay the landlord, they must give you a signed written receipt showing the date, the amount, whether it is a general or pet bond, your name and the address.
• Lodging: the landlord must lodge the bond with Tenancy Services within 23 working days of receiving it. Not doing so is an unlawful act.
• Confirmation: Tenancy Services sends you a lodgement confirmation with a bond number and your own Tenant Number. Keep the Tenant Number private, even from your landlord.
• Top-ups: if rent goes up lawfully, the landlord can ask you to top the bond up to the new 4 week figure. If rent goes down permanently, part of the bond must be refunded.
• Refund: the landlord submits the refund request in Bond Hub or their property software, and you confirm it. The paper bond refund form was withdrawn on 29 June 2026.
• Disputes: either side can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal. The application fee is $29 from 1 July 2026.

How it is worked out

Say you are renting a house in Tauranga at $600 a week and the landlord has agreed you can keep a dog.

The catch

• The pet bond does not replace the general bond. If a pet causes damage that uses up the pet bond, the general bond can also be used, and all tenants named on the agreement are responsible for it.
• Pets kept before 1 December 2025 fall under the old rules. A landlord cannot suddenly add a pet bond for a dog you already had with their approval before that date.
• "Within 6 weeks" is your early warning. The legal deadline is 23 working days, but if no confirmation has turned up after 6 weeks, something has gone wrong.
• Fair wear and tear is not damage. Faded carpet, small nail holes and worn paint are normal use. A landlord cannot deduct for them.
• Unclaimed bonds go to the Crown. If a refund is not claimed within 6 years of the tenancy ending, the money becomes Crown property.
• Boarding houses are different. A boarding house bond of 1 week's rent or less does not have to be lodged.
• Bond transfer to a new landlord only works if the new landlord agrees. If the new bond is higher, you pay the difference, and the new landlord must lodge within 23 working days.
• Penalties exist but vary. Charging a pet bond over 2 weeks carries a penalty of up to $3,000, and charging one when no pet is kept up to $1,500. Failing to lodge a bond is an infringement offence. For the current fee, check the figures at tenancy.govt.nz.

What to do if it is wrong

1. Check the maths. Weekly rent x 4 for the general bond, x 2 for the pet bond. Anything higher is unlawful.
2. Get your receipt in writing before you leave the room. No receipt means no proof.
3. Watch for the lodgement confirmation from Tenancy Services by email or post. Note the bond number and Tenant Number.
4. If nothing arrives in 6 weeks, ask the landlord in writing whether and when they lodged it.
5. Still nothing? Call Tenancy Services on 0800 836 262 to check whether a bond is held under your name and address.
6. Do a move-in inspection with photos and a signed report. It is your best evidence at the end.
7. At the end, ask the landlord to submit the refund in Bond Hub, then confirm it. If they will not, or you disagree on deductions, apply to the Tenancy Tribunal. If the landlord applies first, you do not need to apply as well.

Common questions

Can a landlord ask for 4 weeks' bond plus 2 weeks' rent in advance?

Yes. Bond and rent in advance are separate. The bond is capped at 4 weeks, and the rent in advance is a normal first rent payment. Check your agreement so you know which is which.

My landlord wants a bond for my cat that I had before December 2025. Is that allowed?

No. The pet bond rules apply to pets you started keeping on or after 1 December 2025 with consent. A pet you already had with permission before that date cannot have a new pet bond attached to it.

How do I know if the bond was ever lodged?

You will get a lodgement confirmation with a bond number from Tenancy Services. If you have never had one, the bond may not have been lodged. Ask the landlord first, then call Tenancy Services.

Does the bond earn interest for me?

No. Tenancy Services holds the money and returns the amount lodged. You do not receive interest on it.

What if the landlord just keeps the bond and refuses to talk?

Apply to the Tenancy Tribunal. The landlord cannot take money from a lodged bond without your agreement or a Tribunal order. The Tribunal can also award you compensation if the landlord broke the rules.

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Last reviewed 14 October 2026. Written by Streetwise from the official pages listed above. General information only, not legal or financial advice.