Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

A good tenancy depends on clear communication, a home that is looked after and an understanding of each person’s responsibilities. This overview helps you find the right information for an ordinary residential tenancy. Different rules can apply to boarding houses and other arrangements.

Quiet enjoyment and access

Tenants have a right to privacy and reasonable peace and comfort in their home. Landlords and property managers must follow the access rules for the purpose of a visit or obtain the relevant agreement. Inspections, necessary repairs, viewings and emergencies do not all use the same process.

Read Tenancy Services’ guidance on quiet enjoyment and access. Contact your property manager if a proposed visit or notice is unclear.

Looking after the home

Pay rent as agreed, keep the property reasonably clean and tidy, and report damage or repairs promptly. Discuss the agreement’s practical arrangements for lawns, gardens and other routine care rather than assuming every task belongs to the same person.

Landlords must maintain the property in a reasonable state of repair. Larger maintenance work and specialist tasks should be discussed with the property manager. Working smoke alarms and Healthy Homes requirements have their own rules and responsibilities.

Use the official rights and responsibilities overview and smoke alarm guidance for the detail.

Repairs, damage and fair wear and tear

Report a problem as soon as you become aware of it and keep relevant photographs and messages. For Nexus-managed properties, use our maintenance page, including its urgent-repair instructions.

Who pays for damage depends on what happened and the applicable rules. Tenants are not responsible for fair wear and tear. Careless, intentional and pet-related damage have different treatment, so avoid assuming that one fixed charge or rule applies to every case. See Tenancy Services’ damage and repairs guidance.

Pets and proposed changes

Check any existing consent before bringing a pet into the home. The approval date and the terms of ongoing consent can affect the process. Our pets guidance links to the current consent rules and explains how to start a request.

Talk with your property manager before altering the property. Different rules apply to minor changes and other work; get the relevant agreement recorded rather than relying on an informal assumption.

Ending a tenancy and moving out

The notice and process depend on the type of tenancy and circumstances. Check your agreement and use Tenancy Services’ notice tool before choosing an end date. Ending a fixed term early is different from ending a periodic tenancy.

Keep copies of notices and discuss the final inspection, keys, cleaning and bond process with your property manager. A bond outcome depends on the agreement reached or the applicable dispute process, rather than an automatic deduction.

If a problem is not resolved

Explain the issue clearly, keep records and discuss what would resolve it. For a service concern, use our complaints process. Tenancy Services also explains Tenancy Tribunal options for landlord and tenant disputes.

Return to Nexus tenant help for applications, maintenance and other practical links.

Ask Nexus a tenancy question

For a general question about a Nexus-managed tenancy, contact the team using the form below or call 07 839 2222. For repairs, use our maintenance request page and follow its urgent-repair instructions when needed.