When you get a flatmate in your own house

If you own a house, you can get people to occupy the spare bedrooms and help with the bills.

When you get a flatmate in your own house, you’re not automatically covered by the Residential Tenancies Act.

It’s a good idea to use a flat-sharing agreement.

The flat-sharing agreement could include:

• how much the flatmate will pay a week and how they’ll pay it
• what’s included — for example, power, phone, use of the kitchen
• any bond they’ll pay
• how much notice they should give you before they move out
• rules for visitors and overnight stays
• any other rules — for example pets, smoking.

You can download a flat-sharing agreement template from the Tenancy Services website:

Get covered by the Residential Tenancies Act

You can choose to get your situation covered by the Residential Tenancies Act — everyone needs to sign an agreement about which parts of the Act apply.

Taxing income from flatmates

If you get income from flatmates, you must pay tax on it.

Solving problems with your flatmate

If you have a dispute with your flatmate, you can get help.

The Tenancy Tribunal only handles disputes between landlords and tenants. They cannot help with disputes between flatmates.

Who to contact for more help

If you need more help or have questions about the information or services on this page, contact one of the following agencies.

• Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Contact and agency details
• Tenancy Services Contact and agency details
• Inland Revenue Contact and agency details