Can a landlord refuse to rent to me because I have children?

General information from Lawmateanz

In New Zealand, it's generally unlawful for a landlord to refuse to rent to you, or treat you less favourably, because of your family status, which includes having children. The same applies to grounds such as race, disability, religion and sexual orientation.

Landlords can still choose tenants for legitimate reasons, such as references or ability to pay rent, and can set reasonable rules about occupancy limits.

There are limited exceptions, for example where you'd share the accommodation with the landlord.

If you think you've been discriminated against, keep a record of the advert, messages and what was said. You can complain to the Human Rights Commission, and some issues can go to the Tenancy Tribunal.

The Human Rights Commission (0800 496 877) and Tenancy Services have free information.

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General information only. Answers are written by independent lawyers based only on what's in the question. They aren't legal advice about your situation and don't create a lawyer–client relationship. For advice about your own matter, talk to a lawyer directly.