Tenant rights and responsibilities

Who is a tenant?

A tenant is someone who is entitled to live in a property under a tenancy agreement in return for paying rent to the landlord. The property must be a self-contained residential unit (unless it is student specific accommodation).

Your main rights and responsibilities as a tenant come from rental law, as well as from any tenancy agreement (written, spoken or implied) between you and your landlord.

While tenancy agreements can cover topics not addressed by the law (such as who pays utility bills), they cannot override tenants’ legal rights.

Rights of a tenant

You have the right to:

  • A safe and well-maintained home that is structurally sound, has hot and cold water, adequate heating, and a safe electricity and gas supply. All appliances must be in good working order.
  • Peaceful and exclusive occupation, which means the landlord can only enter the property with your permission, except in an emergency.
  • Receive information on how your rent was set if your tenancy is in a Rent Pressure Zone. Your landlord must provide details of the last rent amount set for the property, the date it was last set and how your rent was calculated.
  • Rent receipts or statements for rent payments and any additional charges paid to the landlord.
  • Advance notice of rent increases, with at least 90 days’ notice.
  • Contact details for your landlord or their authorised agent.
  • Repairs or reimbursement if the landlord cannot carry out necessary repairs within a reasonable timeframe and you arrange them yourself. Expenses must be reasonable and you should provide receipts.
  • Proper notice before eviction, which means you get a valid Notice of Termination if your tenancy is ending.
  • Dispute resolution through the RTB dispute resolution service.
  • Access to RTB register information about your tenancy.
  • Not be discriminated against because of your gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race, or membership of the Traveller community.

If your tenancy started on or after 11 June 2022, you also have the right to stay in the rented property indefinitely after 6 months of renting – known as security of tenure. This right applies if the following conditions are met:

  • You have not been served with a valid Notice of Termination.
  • You continue to meet your responsibilities as a tenant (see below).

The landlord must follow the rules under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (RTA) if they want to end the tenancy. You have rights around security deposits and upfront payments.

Tenants’ responsibilities

You must:

  • Pay rent in full and on time even if there is a dispute.
  • Pay the deposit (if any) and any charges provided for in the lease or tenancy agreement.
  • Keep the property in good condition and report repairs needed to the landlord.
  • Allow access for maintenance and inspections with prior agreement.
  • Inform the landlord in writing of the identity of all occupants (excluding other tenants).
  • Follow tenancy rules, including verbal or written agreements.
  • Behave responsibly and not engage in or allow anti-social behaviour.
  • Give proper notice before moving out.
  • Avoid affecting the landlord’s insurance by increasing risks.
  • Not use the property for commercial purposes.
  • Not alter or improve the property without the landlord’s written consent.
  • Not assign or sub-let without the landlord’s written consent (AHB or cost rental tenants are not allowed to assign or sub-let)
  • Not do anything that would cause the landlord to breach the landlord’s legal obligations in relation to the tenancy.

If you are in student specific accommodation or renting from an Approved Housing Body

Tenants in student specific accommodation (SSA) or renting from an Approved Housing Body (AHB) have most of the same rights as private tenants. For example, you can access the RTB’s dispute resolution process and your tenancy must be registered with the RTB.

However, there are some differences, learn more about student specific accommodation and Approved Housing Bodies.

Moving-in checklist

We have prepared a handy checklist to help you set your tenancy up for success and to avoid future problems. You can view our tenant’s moving-in checklist .

Resolving disputes

Many disputes can be settled through self-resolution with informal discussion. If you cannot resolve the issue on your own, you can refer the issue to us for formal dispute resolution.