End of Tenancy Cleaning Rules in New Zealand

New Zealand tenancy law asks one thing of tenants when it comes to cleaning: leave the home reasonably clean and tidy, with all your rubbish and belongings gone. This guide explains what that means, when professional cleaning can and can’t be required, how cleaning costs relate to your bond, and what to do if you and the landlord disagree. If you’d rather hand the work over, see our end of tenancy cleaning in Auckland service.

This is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, check tenancy.govt.nz or call Tenancy Services on 0800 836 262.

What does NZ law say about cleaning at the end of a tenancy?

Section 40 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 says that when a tenancy ends, the tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and reasonably tidy and remove all rubbish, or arrange for it to be removed. The tenant must also take all their belongings, return every key and access card, and leave behind any chattels the landlord supplied. The Act gives no list of cleaning tasks.

You can read the duty in full in section 40 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The same section requires tenants to keep the home reasonably clean and tidy during the tenancy too, so the move-out clean is the last part of an ongoing duty.

What does “reasonably clean and tidy” mean?

The Act doesn’t define it. A useful test is whether the next person could move in without having to clean first: no grease build-up in the kitchen, no grime or mould left in bathrooms, floors vacuumed and mopped, cupboards emptied and wiped, and no rubbish left behind. It’s a reasonable standard, not a showroom one.

The comparison point is the home’s condition at the start of the tenancy, recorded in the property inspection report and photos. A carpet that was worn when you moved in doesn’t have to look new when you leave. If there’s a dispute, the Tenancy Tribunal decides on the evidence.

Can a tenancy agreement require professional cleaning?

Not in a way that goes beyond the law. Conditions that ask a tenant to do more than the Act requires are likely to be unenforceable, and Tenancy Services uses professional carpet cleaning as its example. Its guidance is direct: “Tenants do not have to have the carpets professionally cleaned.” Tenants must leave the home reasonably clean and tidy, however they get it there.

But if carpets are stained, smell of pets or are heavily soiled, a professional clean may be the only practical way to meet the standard, and the cost falls on the tenant. See Tenancy Services’ unenforceable clauses page for other examples.

Fair wear and tear, cleaning and damage: what’s the difference?

Fair wear and tear is the gradual deterioration that comes from normal use, such as worn flooring or tap washers wearing out, and tenants aren’t responsible for it. Dirt isn’t wear and tear: it’s a cleaning issue. Damage is different again. Burn marks and drink stains on carpet aren’t fair wear and tear, and tenants can be liable for careless or intentional damage.

• Cleaning. Grease, dust, soap scum, marks that wash off. The tenant deals with these before leaving.
• Fair wear and tear. Worn carpet in walkways, faded paint. The landlord’s responsibility.
• Careless damage. Tenants are liable up to 4 weeks’ rent or the landlord’s insurance excess, whichever is lower.
• Pet damage. For damage on or after 1 December 2025, tenants are responsible for pet damage beyond fair wear and tear, without that cap.

If damage is disputed, the landlord must first show it isn’t fair wear and tear. See Tenancy Services’ damage and repairs page.

Landlord or tenant: who is responsible for what?

The tenant is responsible for leaving the home reasonably clean and tidy, with rubbish and belongings removed. The landlord is responsible for fair wear and tear, maintenance and repairs, and for any cleaning beyond the legal standard, such as a deep clean to market the home. Tenancy Services suggests landlords allow time between tenancies for maintenance and any extra cleaning they need.

Can cleaning costs come out of your bond?

Yes, if you agree or the Tenancy Tribunal orders it. Tenancy Services says both sides should be open to using the bond for unpaid rent, damage or costs such as cleaning. If the home was left short of reasonably clean and tidy, the landlord can ask for the reasonable cost of cleaning it. The general bond can be up to 4 weeks’ rent, plus a pet bond of up to 2 weeks’ rent.

How the refund works:

1. You and the landlord do the final inspection.
2. The landlord submits the bond refund in Bond Hub.
3. You have 12 working days to agree or disagree.
4. Once all tenants agree, the bond is paid out the following day.

Only accept the refund if you agree with the amounts. If you don’t, talk to the landlord first.

What happens at the final inspection?

The final inspection is where the landlord or property manager checks the home against the start-of-tenancy report before agreeing the bond refund. Tenancy Services recommends doing it together, once you’ve moved everything out and finished cleaning. If you can’t do it together, you should each do your own. Take photos either way, so there’s a record if the condition is disputed later.

If something is flagged, ask whether you can fix it rather than have the cost taken from the bond. Our end of tenancy cleaning checklist covers the areas inspections focus on.

What if you and the landlord disagree?

Talk first: many cleaning disputes can be settled by agreeing to fix something or to a smaller deduction. If that fails, Tenancy Services offers mediation, and FastTrack Resolution to formalise an agreement you’ve reached. If you still can’t agree, either side can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal, which makes a legally binding order. The application fee is $29, and a successful applicant can ask for it to be repaid.

For bond disputes, if the landlord applies, the tenant doesn’t need to apply as well. If the tenant applies, the landlord must also apply to claim any of the bond. Evidence decides these cases: inspection reports, dated photos, and invoices or quotes for cleaning. Disputes between flatmates go to the Disputes Tribunal instead. Start with Tenancy Services’ disputes process.

Are healthy homes standards about cleaning?

No. The healthy homes standards are rules landlords must meet for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping. They don’t set a cleaning standard. Cleaning at the end of a tenancy is covered by section 40 of the Residential Tenancies Act, not the healthy homes rules, so a home can meet every healthy homes standard and still need a move-out clean.

Mould is where the two meet. Tenancy Services says tenants should keep the home well aired and remove mould as soon as it appears. Surface mould on window frames or a bathroom ceiling is part of the move-out clean. Ongoing damp from a building problem is the landlord’s to fix.

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