A bond refund in NZ is applied for through Tenancy Services at the end of a tenancy. The landlord and tenant normally agree on how the bond is split, the application is lodged through property management software or a signed Bond refund form, and the money is paid out by direct credit to a New Zealand bank account. Tenancy Services takes up to 10 working days to process a completed application. The bond is only refunded once both the landlord and all tenants have signed, or a Mediator’s Order or Tenancy Tribunal order says how it is to be paid out. If the parties cannot agree, either can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal.
This guide is written for landlords, though we know tenants search “bond refund nz” too, so it explains both sides. We cover how much bond you can charge, the 23 working day lodgement rule, how a bond refund happens, what you can lawfully deduct, and how disputes are resolved. The rules sit under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 as amended by the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024, and they reflect the current position as at June 2026, including the new pet bond rules that began on 1 December 2025.
What is a rental bond in NZ?
A rental bond is money a tenant pays at the start of a tenancy as security against unpaid rent and damage beyond fair wear and tear. It is not the landlord’s money to hold or spend. By law the bond must be lodged with Tenancy Services, the Bond Centre run by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), which holds it for the life of the tenancy.
That distinction matters. A landlord who keeps the bond in their own bank account is breaching the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The bond only comes back into play at the end of the tenancy, when it is refunded to the tenant, split between the parties, or transferred to a new tenancy.
For landlords, the bond is a safety net, not a slush fund. You cannot simply dip into it whenever something goes wrong. Any deduction has to be agreed by the tenant or ordered by the Tenancy Tribunal.
How much bond can you charge?
The maximum general bond a landlord can charge in New Zealand is 4 weeks’ rent. That is the cap for the standard bond on every residential tenancy, and you cannot ask for more.
Since 1 December 2025, a landlord who consents to a pet can also charge a separate pet bond of up to 2 weeks’ rent. This came in under the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024, and only one pet bond can be charged per tenancy, even if the tenant has consent for more than one pet.
So a landlord who agrees to a pet can hold up to 4 weeks’ rent as a general bond plus 2 weeks’ rent as a pet bond. Both are lodged with Tenancy Services in the same way, and both have their own refund conditions, which we cover further down.
Lodging the bond: the 23 working day rule
Once you receive the bond, you must lodge it with Tenancy Services within 23 working days. Note that it is 23 working days, not 23 calendar days and not “about a month”, so weekends and public holidays do not count.
Lodgement is now online-first. Most landlords and property managers lodge through Bond Hub at mybond.tenancy.govt.nz, or through integrated property management software (PMS) that talks directly to the Bond Centre. The paper-only era is largely gone.
Failing to lodge a bond is not a minor slip. It is an unlawful act under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and a landlord can be ordered to pay exemplary damages through the Tenancy Tribunal. Lodging on time, every time, is the cheapest insurance a landlord can buy.
Good record keeping starts here. A thorough rental property inspection checklist at the start of the tenancy, paired with prompt bond lodgement, sets you up for a clean refund later.
How a bond refund works at the end of a tenancy
When a tenancy ends, the bond does not refund itself. Someone has to apply, and there are two ways to apply for a bond refund: a landlord can use property management software that is integrated with Tenancy Services, or the landlord and tenant can complete the Bond refund form and email or post it in.
1. Both parties agree and sign
The simplest path is when the landlord and tenant agree on how the bond is divided. The refund is applied for through PMS or a signed Bond refund form, the landlord and all tenants sign, and Tenancy Services processes it. This is how most refunds happen, and it is the only path that gets the money out quickly.
2. One party will not sign
If one party cannot or will not sign, the other party should complete and send the form anyway. Tenancy Services then tries to contact the party who has not signed to check whether they agree. The bond is not simply released after a set objection period. Tenancy Services will only refund the bond once it receives either a new Bond refund form signed and dated by the landlord and all tenants after the dispute date, or a Mediator’s Order or Tenancy Tribunal order. A landlord can only submit a form the tenant has not signed within 2 months of the tenancy ending. After that, the landlord must apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to claim any of the bond or to get the tenant to sign a refund form.
3. A dispute goes to the Tenancy Tribunal
If the parties genuinely cannot agree on the split, either can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal. Tenancy Services holds the bond until the dispute is resolved, so neither side can spend money that is still in dispute. If the landlord applies, the tenant does not need to apply as well, but if the tenant applies, the landlord must also apply if they want any of the bond money.
The key point for landlords is that you cannot unilaterally keep the bond. The bond is either signed off by everyone, or decided by mediation or the Tribunal.
The bond refund form and step-by-step process
There are two ways to apply for a bond refund. A landlord can use property management software that is integrated with the Bond Centre, or the landlord and tenant can complete the paper Bond refund form and email it to [email protected], or post it to Tenancy Services, PO Box 50445, Porirua 5240.
On the Bond refund form, the landlord completes and signs page 1 and the tenants complete and sign page 2. Page 2 covers up to two tenants. If there are more than two tenants, an Additional tenants bond refund form is needed.
Here is the process at a glance:
- Agree the split with the tenant.
- Complete the application through your PMS, or fill in the Bond refund form.
- Have the landlord and all tenants sign. Provide the New Zealand bank account for direct credit, because refunds are paid by direct credit to NZ bank accounts only, not by cheque or to overseas accounts.
- Submit the application. If a party will not sign, Tenancy Services will try to contact them, and the bond is only released once everyone has signed or a Mediator’s or Tribunal order is provided.
- Tenancy Services processes the refund, which takes up to 10 working days from a completed application.
The bond can also be transferred to a new landlord if the new landlord agrees, or split between the landlord and tenant where money is owed. And a word of warning to tenants and landlords alike: if a bond refund is not claimed within 6 years of the tenancy ending or the refund being approved, it becomes Crown property.
What can a landlord lawfully deduct from a bond?
A tenant gets a full general bond refund if the property is in reasonable condition, meets the tenancy agreement, and there is no damage other than fair wear and tear. Where money is genuinely owed, the landlord can receive that amount from the bond and the tenant receives the rest.
The deductions a landlord can claim from a bond generally cover:
- Unpaid rent owing at the end of the tenancy.
- Water charges or other agreed bills the tenant has not paid.
- Damage beyond fair wear and tear, where the tenant or their guests caused it.
- Reasonable cleaning to return the property to a reasonable state, where it has been left beyond a reasonable condition.
Cleaning is not automatically deductible. You can only charge for reasonable cleaning that goes beyond fair wear and tear, and these claims are often disputed, so keep dated photos, invoices and inspection records as evidence. Remember too that any deduction still needs the tenant’s agreement on a signed form or a Tenancy Tribunal order. You cannot simply take it.
Here is how a split works in practice. On a $2,000 bond with $1,500 of agreed or ordered damage, the landlord receives $1,500 and the tenant receives the remaining $500. The landlord only ever takes what is actually owed, and the balance goes back to the tenant.
Fair wear and tear vs tenant damage
This is where most bond disputes live, so it is worth being precise. Fair wear and tear is the gradual deterioration that happens through normal everyday use, such as carpet wearing thin in a hallway or paint fading over the years. Fair wear and tear cannot be charged to the tenant or deducted from the bond.
Damage is different. It is harm caused by the tenant or their guests that goes beyond normal use, like a hole punched in a wall or a stained carpet from a spill that was never cleaned.
Where a tenant or their guest causes careless damage, the tenant’s liability is capped at 4 weeks’ rent or the landlord’s insurance excess, whichever is lower. That is whichever is lower, not higher, which limits what you can recover for careless damage. Intentional damage is not capped, and the tenant can be liable for the full cost.
You can read the detail of the careless damage rules in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 on the legislation website.
Pet bonds and refunds
Pet bonds came in on 1 December 2025, so a 2026 bond refund needs to account for them. A pet bond has extra conditions before it can be returned.
A pet bond can only be refunded once the tenant is no longer keeping any consented pets, there is no pet-related damage beyond fair wear and tear, and the landlord and tenant agree. If the pet bond is not enough to cover pet damage, the general bond can be used as well, but only if both parties agree or the Tribunal orders it.
In short, the pet bond is the first port of call for pet damage, and the general bond is a backstop that cannot be raided without agreement or a Tribunal order.
When the parties disagree: the Tenancy Tribunal
If you cannot reach agreement on the bond, the Tenancy Tribunal decides. The application fee is $28. Older articles quote $20.44, but that figure is out of date.
After an application is filed, the parties can ask for a mediator to help resolve the issue if both agree. If mediation is not used or does not work, the landlord and tenant go to a Tenancy Tribunal hearing.
Evidence wins bond disputes. Landlords should keep:
- Entry and exit inspection reports with dates.
- Photographs showing the property’s condition at the start and end of the tenancy.
- A signed tenancy agreement and a record of the bond lodgement.
- Invoices and quotes for any repairs, cleaning or replacement claimed.
- A clear rent ledger showing any arrears.
The same evidence that supports a bond claim also supports any move to end a tenancy. If you are working through a difficult exit, our guide on giving a landlord notice to end a tenancy in New Zealand walks through the notice rules.
Bond refund facts at a glance
Here are the key numbers landlords and tenants need to remember:
- General bond maximum: 4 weeks’ rent.
- Pet bond maximum: 2 weeks’ rent (from 1 December 2025, one per tenancy).
- Lodgement deadline: within 23 working days of receiving the bond.
- Refund processing: up to 10 working days after a completed application.
- If one party will not sign: the bond is released only on a fully signed form or a Mediator’s or Tribunal order; a landlord can submit a tenant-unsigned form within 2 months of the tenancy ending, then must go to the Tribunal.
- Tenancy Tribunal application fee: $28.
- Careless damage cap: 4 weeks’ rent or the insurance excess, whichever is lower.
- Unclaimed bond: becomes Crown property after 6 years.
- Payment method: direct credit to a New Zealand bank account only.
How a property manager handles bonds for you
Bonds are one of the most common sources of friction at the end of a tenancy, and they are easy to get wrong. Lodge late and you risk exemplary damages. Try to keep too much and you end up in front of the Tribunal. A good property manager lodges every bond on time, runs proper entry and exit inspections, documents the property’s condition, and handles the refund and any deductions correctly.
At Ray White Austar Property Services, we manage bonds end to end for landlords across West Auckland and the wider Auckland region, so you never have to worry about the 23 working day clock or a disputed deduction. Our property management service takes the admin and the risk off your plate.
If you are weighing up self-management against professional management, our breakdown of property manager fees in NZ shows exactly what you get for the cost. And if you want to know what your property should be renting for, request a free rental appraisal in Auckland and we will give you a clear, current figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a bond refund in NZ?
Tenancy Services takes up to 10 working days to process a bond refund once it receives a completed application that everyone has signed. If one party will not sign, the bond is not released until a fully signed form or a Mediator’s or Tribunal order is provided, so a contested refund can take much longer.
Can a landlord keep my bond for cleaning?
Only for reasonable cleaning needed to return the property to a reasonable state, and only where it has been left beyond a reasonable condition. A landlord cannot charge for fair wear and tear, and cleaning claims are often disputed, so the landlord should hold dated photos and invoices as evidence. The deduction still needs the tenant’s agreement on a signed form or a Tenancy Tribunal order.
What can a landlord legally deduct from a bond in NZ?
A landlord can claim unpaid rent, water charges or other agreed bills the tenant has not paid, damage beyond fair wear and tear, and reasonable cleaning. The landlord only receives the amount actually owed, and the tenant gets the balance. For careless damage, the tenant’s liability is capped at 4 weeks’ rent or the insurance excess, whichever is lower.
What happens if the landlord won’t sign the bond refund form?
The other party can still complete and send the form. Tenancy Services will then try to contact the party who has not signed to check whether they agree. The bond is only refunded once a form signed by the landlord and all tenants, or a Mediator’s or Tenancy Tribunal order, is provided. If the parties cannot agree, either can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal for a decision.
How much bond can a landlord charge in New Zealand?
The maximum general bond is 4 weeks’ rent. Since 1 December 2025, a landlord who consents to a pet can also charge a separate pet bond of up to 2 weeks’ rent, with only one pet bond allowed per tenancy. Both are lodged with Tenancy Services.
What is the Tenancy Tribunal fee for a bond dispute?
The Tenancy Tribunal application fee is $28. If both parties agree, they can ask for a mediator to help resolve the issue first. If mediation is not used or does not work, the matter goes to a Tribunal hearing.