General information only, not legal advice. The authoritative source is tenancy.govt.nz.
Most cleaning arguments between landlords and tenants come down to one distinction: the difference between dirt and deterioration. Dirt is the tenant's responsibility. Deterioration usually is not.
What the tenant is responsible for
- Keeping the property reasonably clean and tidy during the tenancy
- Leaving it reasonably clean and tidy at the end
- Any damage caused intentionally or carelessly, by the tenant or their guests
- Removing all rubbish and belongings at the end of the tenancy
What the landlord is responsible for
- Providing the property in a reasonably clean condition at the start
- Maintenance and repair, including things that wear out
- Compliance work, including Healthy Homes requirements
- Fair wear and tear, which the tenant does not pay for
Fair wear and tear, in practice
Fair wear and tear is deterioration that happens through ordinary use over time, without carelessness. It is not a loophole; it is a recognition that a rental property is being lived in.
Generally treated as wear and tear:
- Carpet flattening in hallways and doorways
- Paint fading, and minor scuffs at normal contact heights
- Curtains fading in sun-facing windows
- Silicone in a shower discolouring with age
- Worn tap washers and door hardware
Generally treated as damage or uncleanliness:
- Carpet stains from spills that were never dealt with
- Burn marks, holes in walls, broken fittings
- Mould caused by never using extractor fans or never opening windows
- An oven, rangehood or bathroom left uncleaned
The grey area is usually mould, because it can be caused by a building problem, a tenant problem, or both. If mould is the result of inadequate ventilation or a leak, that is the landlord's to fix. If it is the result of a bathroom never being cleaned, it is not.
What a landlord cannot require
A landlord generally cannot make professional cleaning a blanket condition of the tenancy. The standard is that the property is left reasonably clean, if you achieve that yourself, that is your right.
There is a common exception in tenancy agreements for professional carpet cleaning where pets have been kept, and that clause is usually enforceable. Read your specific agreement rather than assuming either way, and see do you need professional carpet cleaning.
A landlord also cannot charge you for bringing the property to a better standard than it was in when you moved in. This is exactly what an entry condition report is for, and why photos on day one are worth the ten minutes.
For landlords and property managers
If you manage properties, the cheapest way to avoid these arguments entirely is a documented condition record at both ends of every tenancy, photographed, timestamped, and stored somewhere neither party controls unilaterally.
That is the same reasoning behind the photo evidence in our end of tenancy cleaning: a record removes the need for anyone to be believed.