What an NZ Rental Listing Must Say: Rent, Bidding and the Rest

This is general information, not legal advice. It reflects Tenancy Services and New Zealand legislation as checked in September 2026. If a tenancy is unusual, check the sources linked here or ask Tenancy Services.

Rule 1: the rent must be in the advert

Section 22F of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 says a landlord must not advertise or otherwise offer a tenancy unless the amount of rent is stated in the advert or offer. Section 22G deals with bidding (below). Both were added by the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2020 (legislation.govt.nz, Residential Tenancies Act 1986, checked September 2026).

Tenancy Services puts it plainly: rental properties cannot be advertised without a rental price listed (tenancy.govt.nz, charging rent, checked September 2026). Service tenancies are the exception it names.

So "rent on application", "price by negotiation" and a listing with the rent left blank are all out. State a figure, and state the period: rent in New Zealand is usually quoted weekly, so "$620 per week" leaves nobody guessing.

The rule covers any advert or offer, not just Trade Me. Your own website, a Facebook post and a reply to someone who messaged you about the property all need the rent.

Rule 2: do not invite or encourage higher offers

Under section 22G, a landlord must not invite or encourage a prospective tenant, or anyone else, to offer more rent than the amount stated in the advert or offer. Tenancy Services gives examples of what that looks like: holding an auction for the tenancy, or offering it to whoever will pay more.

There is an exception, and it matters. Tenancy Services says a prospective tenant or anyone else can still voluntarily offer to pay more than the stated rent, and the landlord may accept that offer. The line is who started it. If an applicant offers $20 a week more without being asked, you can say yes. If you, or your property manager, hinted that more money would help, you cannot.

At a busy open home that line is easy to cross by accident. "We've had a lot of interest, so it'll come down to the best application" is fine if you mean references and fit. "It'll come down to who offers most" is not. For the viewing side of this, see open homes or booked viewings.

Tenancy Services explains what happens when the Act is breached, including Tenancy Tribunal applications, on its breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act pages (checked September 2026).

What else a good NZ listing says

The rent is the only content rule above. Everything else here is what renters need to decide whether to view, with the official limits where there is one.

• Bond. If you charge a general bond, the most you can charge is 4 weeks' rent (tenancy.govt.nz, charging a general bond, checked September 2026). Say how much it is.
• Pets. Since 1 December 2025, landlords can refuse a tenant's request to keep a pet only on reasonable grounds, and can set conditions such as a pet bond of up to 2 weeks' rent (tenancy.govt.nz, rules about pets and charging a pet bond, checked September 2026). "Pets considered on request" is more accurate than "no pets".
• No letting fees. Landlords and agents cannot charge tenants letting fees, and have not been able to since 12 December 2018. Key money is also banned, apart from an option fee of up to one week's rent (tenancy.govt.nz, letting fees and key money, checked September 2026). Do not put either in an advert.
• Available date and whether the tenancy is fixed-term or periodic.
• What is included: whiteware, curtains, parking, garden care, internet.
• Heating and insulation, described plainly: a heat pump in the living room, ceiling insulation, and so on. Renters ask.
• Who it suits, described by the property rather than by the person: "one car park, no storage for bikes" rather than "suits professional couple".

The healthy homes compliance statement is a separate requirement. Tenancy Services says it goes in new, renewed or varied tenancy agreements (tenancy.govt.nz, healthy homes compliance statement, checked September 2026). It belongs in the agreement, not the advert, and this post does not cover it.

Wording to avoid

Where private landlords advertise

The usual places are Trade Me Property, Facebook Marketplace and local groups, word of mouth, a property manager's own site, and a website of your own. Each has its own terms and costs, so check them directly. The rules above apply to all of them equally: the rent goes in every version, and nobody is invited to bid in any of them.

Checklist before a listing goes live

1. Rent stated as one figure, with the period (per week).
2. Nothing inviting or encouraging higher offers, in the listing or in replies.
3. Bond stated, no more than 4 weeks' rent.
4. Pets: "considered on request", with any pet bond no more than 2 weeks' rent.
5. No letting fee or key money.
6. Available date and tenancy type.
7. What is included, and heating and insulation described.
8. The same rent everywhere the property appears.
9. The healthy homes statement ready for the tenancy agreement, not the advert.

Where Loftfolio fits

Loftfolio gives you a rentals website of your own, with a page per property and applicants who book viewings and apply from the listing. A New Zealand rental on Loftfolio cannot be published without its rent.

That is the only NZ rule built in. Loftfolio does not check your wording for bidding, does not handle bonds or tenancy agreements, does not post to Trade Me, and enquiries made on Trade Me or by phone do not arrive in it; reply with your listing's link and they apply there. The full list is on not for you. For the listing itself, better listings reduce vacancy and the photo order checklist are good next reads.

See the plans

Plans start at US$39 a month, charged in US dollars, with no contract and no setup fee. See pricing.