- Will you use an off-site storage facility?
- Store them in a loft / shed / container on your property?
- Lend large items to friends and family to use?
- Stash some boxes with friends here and there?
- Leave your stuff right where it is as you are renting your place furnished?
- Will you install an alarm system to protect your stuff? Who will monitor it or respond if it goes off?
- How will your contents insurance be affected by the various options?
- What will you do with any vehicle(s)?
- Will you loan it to a friend? Will they insure the vehicle or will you need to name them on your policy? Will they pay the excess in case of an accident; and tickets/fines in the case of traffic infringements?
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Catalogues
- Subscription products
- Invoices
- Electricity
- Gas
- Telephone
- Internet
- Rates
- Water
- House insurance
- Contents insurance
- Lawn or gardening services
- Chimney cleaning
- Pool maintenance
- Pest control services
- House cleaning / painting
- Roof cleaning / painting
- Solar panel / energy system maintenance
- Gutter clearing
- Septic tank waste collection
- Rubbish removal services
- Emergency repairs
If you are renting your property out to tenants:
- Will you appoint a property manager to co-ordinate tradesmen and do inspections?
- Will you negotiate a service contract directly with the tradesperson instead; and have a friend or family member do inspections?
- Will you permit the tenant to contact service personnel themselves if something goes wrong?
- Will you set up an automatic payment or direct debit from the tenant to a separate housing account?
- Will a friend/family member or colleague have access to a housing account to pay bills; or will you do everything online?
If you need a tenancy agreement, the basic one can be bought from local booksellers, or downloaded from MBIE where there is also more information about tenancies.
Make sure that you lodge the tenant's bond with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment along with the appropriate form.
If the property is not being lived in:
- Have you checked with your insurance policy on any exclusions?
- Will you put a padlock on your letterbox if you have someone clearing it on your behalf?
- Do you have automatic security lights installed outside?
- Do you have lights on timers inside?
- Does the house looked lived in from the the outside? Washing on line? Shoes or gumboots at back door?
- Might you allow a neighbour to park their car in your driveway?
- Consider adding security stays to some of your windows so that you can leave them ajar to aid air circulation.
Take a look at the list on the NZ Police website of how to protect your property.