By Brett Corlett | Soft Landing Podcast – Episode 7
Introduction
In this blog, based on Episode 7 of my Soft Landing podcast, we share practical, honest tips on how to successfully secure a rental in New Zealand, drawn from our personal experience as a new immigrant family.
🏡 Why Finding a Rental Is So Stressful
Coming from South Africa, we had limited experience with renting, let alone navigating New Zealand’s digital-first, high-demand rental market. Securing a home can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re managing kids, pets, and a new job.
📋 Preparation Is Key—Start Before You Arrive
Start compiling your rental documents before arriving in New Zealand. Create a shared digital folder (like Google Drive) with scanned copies of passports, reference letters, driver’s licenses, pet records, and digital signatures. This will save time and stress when applying for rentals online.
💻 Understanding the Rental Process
Rentals are managed through portals such as Trade Me, Realestate.co.nz, OneRoof, and MyRent. You’ll need to create logins, book viewings, and apply digitally. If you don’t yet have a New Zealand phone number, you may need to contact Trade Me support to get access.
👨👩👧👦 Create a Rental CV That Stands Out
A family ‘rental CV’ is your best friend. Include a short cover letter, family photo, description of your values, why you liked the property, and references. If you have pets, create a separate pet profile. Be upfront, honesty builds trust with agents and landlords.
🏫 Consider School Zones
If you have children, rentals near public schools require you to live in the school’s zone. Use realestate.co.nz listings to check which schools a property is zoned for.
📆 Book Viewings and Apply the Same Day
Viewings are competitive and brief, 30 minutes with multiple families walking through. Dress neatly, introduce yourself to the agent, and apply online the same day. Follow up with a personal email and attach your rental CV and reference letters.
🐾 Renting With Pets
Even if listings say ‘no pets,’ apply anyway and be upfront. We secured four rentals with two cats, even though all listings said no pets, by offering a pet CV and offering to pay a small premium or commit to professional cleaning.
📝 Signing and Paying
Once accepted, you’ll sign your lease digitally. Be prepared to pay four weeks’ bond and two weeks’ rent upfront. Use a credit card if needed for cash flow between rentals.
🔍 Post-Move: Inspections and Documentation
Document the property thoroughly when you move in, take photos and report issues via email or the agency portal. Quarterly inspections are common, and you’ll usually get one week’s notice.
⚠️ Breaking a Lease and Tenancy Disputes
You can break a lease, but you may be charged admin fees. Ensure this is outlined in your agreement. In case of disputes, the Tenancy Tribunal (tenancy.govt.nz) handles issues.
✅ Summary: What You Need to Secure a Rental
– Digital documents (ID, references, signatures)
– A polished rental CV (family + pets)
– Know your target areas and schools
– Register and attend viewings
– Apply quickly, follow up with an email
– Be honest, professional, and prepared
🎧 Listen to Episode 7 – Securing a Rental in New Zealand
📢 Stay Connected
I’d love your help.
The Inner Circle App is coming soon — a free space for migrants to connect, learn, and belong in New Zealand. We’d love your input! Help us shape it so it truly supports your needs.
https://forms.gle/FuTEd7cMwv7jzSK56
Follow my Soft Landing podcast and subscribe to my YouTube channel @softlandingnz for real stories, walkthroughs, and practical tips for newcomers to New Zealand.
📍 All links & platforms: https://linktr.ee/softlandingnz
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