New Zealand Rental Bond Refund Demand (Residential Tenancies Act 1986)
First-person self-help demand asking your landlord to agree to refund your rental bond under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. Your bond is held by Tenancy Services (MBIE) and refunded on agreement or by the Tenancy Tribunal (application fee $28) if disputed. You complete and send the letter — and any Tribunal application — yourself.
Statute of Limitations Warning
Legal deadlines apply to your claim. You lose your right to act if you wait too long. Send notice as soon as possible.
Why this letter works:
- Cites the exact law: Automatically applies the correct state and federal statutes to your situation.
- Sets a firm deadline: Legally compels a response within the required statutory timeframe.
- Creates a paper trail: Designed to serve as Exhibit A if you need to escalate to an agency or court.
Answer a few questions and we'll create your personalized letter.
One-time price:$19≈ NZ$32Paid once at the end. No subscription.
What you'll get
Below is a real example. Your version will be personalized with your name, the exact statute that applies where you are, and the right deadline.
August 13, 2026
RE: Refund of rental bond — 12A/19 Aro Street, Wellington 6021 — Residential Tenancies Act 1986
Dear Harbour City Rentals:
I am writing to ask you to agree to the refund of my rental bond of $1,840.00 for the property at 12A/19 Aro Street, Wellington 6021. I moved out on June 27, 2026. You are claiming deductions from my bond that I dispute.
1. MY BOND
My bond is held by Tenancy Services (MBIE), not by you. Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 I am entitled to the refund of my bond at the end of the tenancy, except for any amount you are lawfully entitled to claim (for example, for damage beyond fair wear and tear or rent arrears).
The final inspection recorded the property as clean and undamaged, and I have the signed report. The deductions now being claimed are for carpet wear in a hallway that was already worn when I moved in, which the entry report confirms.
2. DEMAND
Please agree to the refund of $1,840.00 of my bond — by completing a bond refund request with Tenancy Services — within 14 DAYS of the date of this letter.
3. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE
If you do not agree to the refund within 14 days, I will apply to the Tenancy Tribunal for an order that my bond be refunded to me. The application fee is $28.
Yours faithfully,
Self-help template prepared using Commoner Law (commoner-law.com). We are not a law firm and this is not legal advice — using our templates does not create a lawyer-client relationship. The Tenancy Tribunal is designed for self-represented tenants; you complete any application yourself. Free help: Community Law Centre, Citizens Advice Bureau, or Tenancy Services (tenancy.govt.nz).
The full letter — including the statute citations for your state — is shown above. Only the recipient block, signature, and mailing instructions are masked. They appear in the PDF you download after payment ($19).
Your Action Plan
This letter is part of a formal escalation process.
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Your tenancy and bond
In New Zealand your bond is held by Tenancy Services (MBIE), not by the landlord. At the end of the tenancy it is refunded when both parties agree, or by the Tenancy Tribunal if disputed. This letter asks the landlord to agree to release your bond.
This letter will cite
Residential Tenancies Act 1986 — bond held by Tenancy Services (MBIE); refunded on agreement or by the Tenancy Tribunal. Tribunal application fee $28.
The Tenancy Tribunal is designed for self-represented tenants. We give you the information; you complete any application yourself.
Before you start
What exactly do I get, and when?
A personalized PDF letter, written around the statute that applies to your situation, with the deadline and the consequence spelled out. It downloads the moment payment confirms, back here on commoner-law.com — there is no waiting period and no account to create.
How much is it?
$19, once. Not a subscription, and nothing is charged until you complete payment on Stripe at the end of the wizard. Any add-ons you select show their own price before you pay.
Is this legal advice?
Self-help template; not legal advice and we are not a law firm. The landlord may lawfully claim from the bond for damage beyond fair wear and tear or for arrears — disputed amounts are decided by the Tenancy Tribunal.
What if I need to change something afterwards?
Tell us and we will either adjust the letter and send you the updated version at no cost, or refund you in full — your choice. If we can’t deliver what you paid for, the refund is automatic. Full terms are on our promise page.
Do I have to pay to know if I have a case?
No. The rights encyclopedia on this site is free and cites the same primary sources the letter does. Read the relevant guide first — plenty of situations are resolved by a phone call to a free statutory body, and where one exists we say so.