Property Inspection Report (New Zealand)

A Property Inspection Report in New Zealand records the property inspection arrangement agreed between the parties and the specific obligations each side accepts, forming a binding agreement under the Property Law Act 2007.

There are two main types of property inspection reports in New Zealand. The ingoing (or pre-tenancy) inspection is completed before the tenant moves in or within the first two weeks of the tenancy commencing. It records the baseline condition of the property — every room, all fixtures and fittings, all chattels (moveable items) provided by the landlord, and the exterior including gardens, lawns, fencing, and outbuildings. The outgoing (or post-tenancy) inspection is completed at or near the end of the tenancy, immediately before or on the day the tenant vacates. It records the condition of the same items at departure and is compared against the ingoing report to identify any damage beyond fair wear and tear.

A routine inspection report may also be completed during the tenancy — typically every three months — to monitor the condition of the property and identify any maintenance issues. The landlord must give the tenant at least 48 hours' written notice before conducting a routine inspection (section 48 of the RTA), and may enter the premises only between 8am and 7pm on any day other than a public holiday.

The property inspection report is critical because it is the document that determines what can and cannot be claimed against the bond at the end of the tenancy. Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, the landlord may only deduct from the bond amounts for damage beyond fair wear and tear, unpaid rent, and other amounts lawfully owed. The ingoing inspection report establishes the pre-tenancy condition as the baseline, and any damage that was already present at the start of the tenancy (recorded as pre-existing) cannot be claimed against the bond. Without a signed ingoing inspection report, it becomes very difficult for either party to prove what the condition of the property was at the start of the tenancy, and the Tenancy Tribunal is likely to resolve any doubt in favour of the tenant.

In addition to room-by-room condition assessments, the New Zealand property inspection report should record all keys and access devices provided to the tenant (which must be returned at the end of the tenancy), all chattels and inclusions provided by the landlord, and the Healthy Homes Standards compliance status under the Healthy Homes Guarantee Act 2017. The Healthy Homes Standards require landlords to maintain five specific standards throughout the tenancy — covering heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping — and the inspection report provides a useful opportunity to verify and record compliance with these standards.

Both parties — the landlord and the tenant — should sign the property inspection report. The tenant should have the opportunity to add their own comments or note any disagreements with the landlord's assessments before signing. Signing does not mean the tenant agrees with every assessment; it means the tenant has received and reviewed the report. Both parties should retain a signed copy for their records.

A Property Inspection Report is needed at three key stages of a residential tenancy in New Zealand, and completing one properly at each stage is essential for protecting both the landlord's and tenant's interests.

The most important stage is the ingoing inspection, which should be completed before the tenant moves in or within the first two weeks of the tenancy commencing. This inspection establishes the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy and is the baseline against which any damage claim will be assessed at the end of the tenancy. Tenancy Services (MBIE) strongly recommends that every landlord complete an ingoing inspection report and that the tenant is given a copy to review and sign before or at the start of the tenancy. If there is no ingoing inspection report, the Tenancy Tribunal will have no reliable basis for assessing whether any damage found at the end of the tenancy was pre-existing or caused by the tenant.

The outgoing inspection is equally important and should be completed on or before the day the tenant vacates the premises. Both the landlord and the tenant should attend the outgoing inspection if possible, and the outgoing report should use the same format as the ingoing report so that a direct comparison can be made. Any damage identified in the outgoing inspection that was not present in the ingoing report (and that exceeds fair wear and tear) may be claimed against the bond. The landlord should take photographs at the outgoing inspection to support any bond claim.

Routine inspections during the tenancy are also important and allow the landlord to identify maintenance issues early and confirm the property is being kept in a reasonable condition. The landlord must give at least 48 hours' written notice before a routine inspection and may not inspect more frequently than once every four weeks. A routine inspection report records the condition of the property at that point in time and is useful for identifying issues that need to be addressed before the end of the tenancy.

Property inspection reports are particularly important in New Zealand's rental market for several reasons. New Zealand has a well-established bond claim system administered by Tenancy Services, and the Tenancy Tribunal processes thousands of bond disputes each year. Having a detailed, signed ingoing inspection report is the single most effective way for both landlords and tenants to protect their interests in any bond dispute. Landlords who do not complete ingoing inspection reports risk being unable to claim against the bond for genuine damage caused by the tenant. Tenants who do not review and annotate the ingoing inspection report risk being held liable for pre-existing damage.

The property inspection report is also important for recording the presence and condition of all chattels (moveable items) provided by the landlord — such as whiteware, curtains, blinds, heat pumps, and furniture. These chattels must be returned at the end of the tenancy in the same condition as recorded in the ingoing report, fair wear and tear excepted. If any chattel is missing or significantly damaged at the outgoing inspection, the landlord may claim the cost of repair or replacement against the bond.

A well-drafted New Zealand Property Inspection Report must address all the key elements necessary to provide a thorough and reliable record of the property's condition.

The report header should clearly state the type of inspection (ingoing, outgoing, or routine), the date and time of the inspection, the full address of the property, and the names and contact details of both the landlord and the tenant. The full address should include the unit number, street, suburb, city, and postcode.

The chattels and inclusions section should list all moveable items provided by the landlord, including whiteware (fridge, washing machine, dryer, dishwasher), curtains, blinds, heat pumps, and any furniture. Each item should be described with sufficient detail to identify it — including brand, model, colour, and any pre-existing damage or wear. This section is critical because chattels listed here must be returned at the end of the tenancy in the same condition, fair wear and tear excepted.

The room-by-room condition assessment is the core of the report. Each room or area should be assessed separately and given an overall condition rating (such as Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor) followed by specific notes. The assessment should cover walls, ceilings, floor coverings (carpet, timber, tiles), windows, curtains or blinds, built-in wardrobes, light fittings, and any appliances or heat pump units. The kitchen assessment should include the oven, rangehood or extractor fan, benchtops, cupboards, sink, and taps. The bathroom assessment should include the shower, bath, tiles, extractor fan, toilet, basin, and floor. The laundry assessment should cover the tub, taps, and connections. The exterior assessment should include lawns, gardens, fencing, driveway, garage or carpark, letterbox, and any outbuildings or sheds.

The keys and access devices section should list all items provided to the tenant — door keys, letterbox keys, garage remotes, heat pump remotes, and security fobs — specifying the number of each. These must all be returned at the end of the tenancy.

The Healthy Homes Standards confirmation section should record the compliance status of the five mandatory standards — heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture and drainage, and draught stopping — as required by the Healthy Homes Guarantee Act 2017.

The additional notes and pre-existing damage section provides space for recording any items that do not fit neatly into the room-by-room sections, including specific pre-existing damage agreed between the parties and any maintenance items the landlord has agreed to attend to.

The tenant comments section allows the tenant to record any disagreements with the landlord's assessments or any additional observations before signing. This is an important safeguard for tenants.

Finally, the report must be signed by both the landlord and all tenants, with dates recorded. Both parties should receive a signed copy promptly after the inspection is completed. The forms-legal.com Property Inspection Report (New Zealand) provides a ready-to-use template that meets New Zealand legal requirements.