How to choose a property manager in Auckland: an owner's checklist

Landlord guide - 11 September 2026

Twelve questions to ask

1. How many properties does my manager personally look after?

   This is the single most useful question. A manager with hundreds of properties cannot know yours. Pukeko caps the number of properties each owner-operator manages so every owner has one accountable contact.

2. Who will I actually deal with?

   Ask whether the person you meet is the person who will manage the property, or whether it goes to a team or a call centre after signing. Ask how often the manager assigned to your property changes.

3. How often is rent checked, and what happens when it is late?

   The honest answers range from "daily" to "when the statement runs". Ask for the process in writing: how quickly a missed payment is followed up, when notices are issued, and who handles the Tribunal if it comes to that.

4. Do you offer a rent guarantee, and what are the conditions?

   A rent guarantee is only as good as its terms. Ask what it covers (arrears while the tenant is in place), what it does not (vacancy, damage) and whether it applies to a tenant the manager did not place. PukekoPlus sets all of that out plainly.

5. How do you select tenants?

   Ask who hosts the viewings, what checks are done (references, income, credit, background) and how the decision is made. A manager who lets applicants view an empty house with a lockbox is not assessing anybody.

6. Do you meth test between tenancies?

   Without a baseline test at the start of a tenancy, a tenant cannot be held accountable for contamination. Ask whether testing is standard or an extra, and how the results are recorded. Pukeko's baseline meth testing policy.

7. How often do you inspect, and what do I receive?

   Three-monthly is the usual standard. Ask to see a sample inspection report - it should have photographs, notes and an action list, not a ticked form.

8. How is maintenance handled and approved?

   Ask about the spending limit you authorise up front, whether quotes are obtained, who the tradespeople are, whether the manager adds a margin on invoices, and whether urgent repairs are covered outside office hours.

9. How do you handle Healthy Homes and compliance?

   Ask whether assessments are done, who does them, where the evidence is kept and how the compliance statement gets into the tenancy agreement. A manager who cannot show you a compliance file for a property is not managing compliance.

10. What reporting do I get, and can I see it any time?

    Monthly and end-of-year statements are the minimum. An online owner portal with rent, invoices, inspection reports and documents is what lets you check the manager is doing what they say.

11. What are the fees, all of them?

    Management fee, letting fee, inspection fees, maintenance margins, Tribunal attendance, end-of-year statement fees. Ask for the full list in writing and compare the total, not the headline percentage.

12. What do your owners and tenants say?

    A manager who is good to tenants keeps tenants, and that is what keeps owners paid. Reviews, references and any awards that measure satisfaction on both sides are worth more than a glossy proposal.

Red flags

• A fee quoted without the list of what it includes.
• Nobody can tell you how many properties your manager has.
• Rent is "checked regularly" with no definition of regularly.
• Inspections are done by a contractor the manager has never met.
• No sample inspection report, no sample statement, no portal.

Switching managers

If your current arrangement fails the checklist, switching is simpler than most owners expect. Your existing tenancy continues, the bond is transferred, the file moves across and the tenant is introduced to the new manager. Check your current agreement for the notice period and any exit terms, and ask the new manager to handle the handover.