When it comes to renting a home, how you are defined matters. There are a few differences between tenants, flatmates and boarders.

You are a tenant if you rent a property from a landlord, and the landlord does not live on the same property. You should have a written tenancy agreement signed by both you and your landlord. '

You’re also a tenant if you rent a room in a boarding house that is covered by the Residential Tenancies Act.

You are a flatmate if you are not named on the tenancy agreement but you share a house – that is not a boarding house – or apartment with others, and contribute to rent, utilities and chores; and if you pay rent to share a house or apartment with the landlord, or a member of the landlord’s family.

Flatmates don’t have rights and obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act.

You are a private boarder if you rent a room in a boarding house that is not covered by the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 then you are a boarder, and you do not have rights or obligations under the RTA.

You and your landlord can customise a Tenancy Service’s flat/house sharing agreement template, to record what you have agreed to.

Private landlords must ensure rental properties comply with a number of standards, including that the property must have one or more fixed heaters that can warm the main living room to 18 degrees Celsius, a minimum level or ceiling and underfloor insulation meeting the 2008 Building Code, and extraction fans in the bathrooms and a rangehood in the kitchen.

For more information, visit: cab.org.nz, phone: 07 578 1592 or call in and see us at 367 Cameron Rd, Tauranga, Monday to Friday from 9am-4pm.