The Department of Building and Housing created a Flatting 101 section on its main website late last year in time for the "student return", manager of client services group Jeff Montgomery said.
The department had been offering information about tenancy issues for about 20 years, so was well versed in pitfalls which could face students during their tenancy.
Although information and advice had always been available on the website, the new section was about "putting it in a format more accessible for first-time renters", he said.
The site followed story lines at different stages of the flatting process.
Moving in, moving out and sorting out problems were covered through five characters' accounts.
By reading stories of their experiences, visitors were able to gain advice on issues.
Social networking site Facebook was also utilised. Users were able to receive updates containing information about tenancy issues through characters' pages.
While Flatting 101 was still waiting for renters to make use of it, positive feedback had been received by the Citizens Advice Bureau and student unions, Mr Montgomery said.
There were many traps students fell into when it came to flatting and people needed to be more educated about what tenancy involved, he said.
Problems often arose through a lack of awareness a legal agreement was being entered into when a lease was signed.
Understanding of the tenancy agreement and its length was an issue in Dunedin as the most common lease was for 12 months, fixed term, he said.
"The renter needs to understand they are liable for the full year."
When it came to signing the tenancy agreement, thought needed to be put into who would go on it because they would be held liable for payment of rent and upkeep of the property.
Mr Montgomery also encouraged people to sign a tenancy agreement between flatmates to "sort things out" such as cleaning and payment of bills
- "all those things that lead to drama later on".
The payment of bond was the last key issue he felt needed to be more widely understood.
Tenants needed to ensure they received a receipt for payment of the bond and also a letter from the Department of Building and Housing which acknowledged the bond had been lodged by the landlord.
If the bond was not lodged with the department, it was "almost impossible to get it back at the end of the year", Mr Montgomery said.
People could also get an idea of how much rent they should be paying by accessing the department's market rent data figures.
These gave an idea of average rent for different areas.
In north Dunedin, the average rent per person for a four-bedroom flat was $92. However, Wellington students could pay $143 to live near Victoria University.
Danny Nimmo (18) is the type of person the site is trying to target. He is in his first year of flatting in north Dunedin as a second-year computer science student at the University of Otago.
He moved in with four friends and they had all taken a relaxed approach to living together.
One person had their name on the power account and one on the phone bill. There appeared to be no concern about flatmates not paying their share of the bills.
Top flatting tips
-Ensure you are moving in with people you get along with and trust.
-Investigate the landlords as they are the ones you will have to liaise with on rent payment and maintenance issues. Having a good relationship with them can help avoid problems later.
-See how much you should be paying in rent by checking average prices on the Department of Building and Housing's website.
-Understand the length of the lease you are signing. You will be accountable to pay for the full term, even if you move out before it ceases.
-Decide who will sign the lease. Whoever does is liable for payment of rent and upkeep of the property.
-Sign a tenancy agreement between flatmates which can outline issues such as cleaning, payment of bills and Internet use. This can help avoid disputes during the year.
-Get a receipt for bond payment from the landlord and ensure a letter is received from the Department of Building and Housing confirming the bond has been lodged.
-Know your responsibilities as a tenant. You have to pay the rent on time, even if you are unhappy about something to do with the property. You also need to keep it reasonably tidy. Tell landlords about any maintenance problems; it is their responsibility to make repairs and yours to inform them of any.
-Know your rights as a tenant. Landlords must respect your right to peace and privacy. They must give you 48 hours' notice before visiting the property. If they are to make repairs, they must give you 24 hours' notice.
-If it all turns to custard, free legal advice is available from the Community Law Centre.
Source: www.dbh.govt.nz
