Accommodation

 

 

Advice & Tools

Overall:

OPSA's Guide to Accommodation - Read this before looking for flats or signing a lease.

Flatting 101 - Dept of B&H's guide to setting up a flat for the first time.

Quality:

STARS - Check out the quality of a flat before you sign up for it (free). Highly reccomended

Electricity:

Home Energy Self Check - How much is it going to cost to heat?

Powerswitch - Find the cheapest retailer for your power needs

 

 

Accommodation Listings

STARS - Dunedin flat rating scheme; check out how your flat stacks up before you sign...

OU Accommodation Database - Find a flat or flatmate

TradeMe - Flatmates wanted in Otago

TradeMe - Property for rent in Otago

NIDD Property management - Rental accommodation search

Radio 1 Flatline

StudentAccomodation.co.nz - Rental accommodation search

StudentAccomodation.co.nz - Find a Flatmate

City College - Hall of residence

Check out the OPSA Accommodation noticeboard in the Student Centre foyer.

 

 

Accommodation Issues

Check out your rights and responsibilities under Residential Tenancies Act, OPSA can help you with this.

• Talk to your landlord about what’s wrong and say what a good solution might be.
• If that doesn't work send the landlord a letter.
• If that doesn't work contact OPSA or the Department of Building and Housing they may be able to help, or you can take the issue to mediation.
• If the dispute is not resolved by mediation, then you can have the matter referred to the Tenancy Tribunal.
• If the mediator or Tribunal make an order that the other party does not meet, there are steps to take to enforce an order.

OPSA is here to assist you at any stage of the above process.

Resources:

Department of Building & Housing "Sorting out problems"

Lawaccess "Resolving disputes between landlords and tenants"