Landlords can now evict tenants without cause in New Zealand
- Landlords can now terminate periodic tenancies with 90 days' notice, and in some cases, as little as 42 days.
- Tenants also have the right to end periodic tenancies with 21 days' notice.
- The new eviction rules have generated significant criticism from tenant advocacy groups.
In late 2023, New Zealand's National-ACT-NZ First coalition government reinstated the ability of landlords to evict tenants without cause, reversing the previous Labour government's restrictions. The new legislation allows landlords to terminate periodic tenancies with 90 days' notice, and in some circumstances, as little as 42 days. For fixed-term tenancies, landlords can now issue notice between 21 to 90 days without needing to provide a reason for the eviction. Meanwhile, tenants are granted the ability to terminate periodic tenancies or extend fixed terms with just 21 days' notice. This legislative change comes at a time when New Zealand has been experiencing a somewhat relaxing rental market due to a decline in immigration to the country, particularly immigration outflows to Australia. Despite this easing of pressure, Auckland still faces significant housing shortages. The Renters United group has raised concerns about the rights of renters under this new legislation, emphasizing that tenants deserve to know why they are being evicted from their homes, particularly given the potential impacts on vulnerable populations such as families and the elderly. In addition to the eviction provisions, the new legislation permits landlords to institute