16 January 2025
Ref: DOIA REQ-0006568
Miss W Forest
Emai
l: [FYI request #29258 email] Tēnā koe Miss W Forest
Thank you for your email of 20 November 2024 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(MBIE) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982, the following information:
In addition please provide impact assessments against on Human Rights Act, Bill of Rights, Privacy
and Disabilities and Health Acts that would have been done to keep the service complaint against
the various laws and regulations surrounding the system and it's accessibility otherwise.
On 18 December 2024 MBIE sent you a decision letter regarding your request. Please find the final
outstanding documents attached.
The first release of Tenancy Service’s bond modernisation went live to customers on 2 December 2024.
The first stage delivered a new system for managing bonds including new online webforms for bond
lodgements and bond top ups, as well as a new business-to-business connection for landlords using
property management software to manage their rental properties.
The new tenancy bond system is a back office platform, used by MBIE staff, and therefore user
requirements meet the requirements for internal use. The webforms available on our website are
required to meet the New Zealand Government Web Accessibility Standard and we confirm that an
assessment has been completed and is attached.
Like all Government agencies, MBIE prioritises working in a digital way to deliver efficient public services,
this includes the use of email and online interactions with our customers. This way of working is
consistent with other government agencies that landlords are likely to also correspond with, such as
Inland Revenue.
The business decision for all lodgements and top ups to be processed online, was based on:
• Landlords' requirement to submit bond lodgements as per section 19 of the Residential Tenancies
Act 1986;
• Prior to the 2 December all bond lodgements were made using at least one online transaction,
emailing the form and/or completing online payment;
• There is no requirement for all parties to the tenancy to have an email address when using the
new webforms;
• Our Customer Service Centre can assist people with completing the new webforms. We cannot
lodge the bond for people over the phone, but we can talk through how to use the online form;
• Achievement of benefits related to the investment made by the Government to improve the
tenancy bond service for landlords and tenants, particularly by making the new service more
efficient and therefore speeding up our processing timeframes and reducing human errors that
can result from manual processing.
As noted in our previous response to you, further stages of the Tenancy Service bond modernisation are
planned, and more information can be found on our website at this weblink -
Modernising our Tenancy
Bond Service » Tenancy Services.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any further assistance,
please contact
[email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802
602.
Nāku noa, nā
Kat Watson
Head of Tenancy Building and Tenancy
