In a word – YES!

Your landlord’s insurance will not cover your personal possessions. Furthermore, under the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill (No 2) (see my previous blog article, Careless damage caused by tenants), if you or your invited guests cause any damage, you are still likely to have some liability for the reparation.

How much liability?

When your name is on a tenancy agreement, you take on a shared responsibility for the whole tenancy. This means you can be held liable for damage caused by any of the other tenants or invited guests regardless of whether you were present at the time the damage occurred.  

For more information, read the following:

• web article – What renter should know about insurance
• MBIE Information and services website – Tenant liability questions

Types of insurance

So if you are renting, Nightingale Properties recommends that you have insurance. There are two types of insurance cover:

• contents insurance that will cover your personal property
• personal liability insurance that will give you cover in liability situations.

Our recommendation

As a tenant, you should go to an insurance company and find out what they can offer you and discuss

Talk to us

If you have any questions about this subject or any of the other Nightingale Properties blogs, please feel free to call or email us on 029 200 3950 or len@nightingales.net.nz.