Accommodation

There is a wide range of accomodation options in New Zealand. We have detailed a few of them for you below.

Homestay

Living with a new family for the first time can be challenging for students and host families. It takes time and effort. However, living with a family is one of the best ways to experience a country and its culture. It will also help you with your English.

Remember the following when in a homestay:

• Being hosted by a family means becoming part of the family. The homestay rate is set to allow you to spend most of your time studying, but you are expected to help around the house doing things such as the dishes or helping to prepare a meal. Talk with your host family and ask if you can help. Your homestay is not a hotel!
• Communication - talk to your host family and let them know what you are doing and, if you are going out, tell them an approximate time when you will be home. Talk to everyone over dinner: you could share things from your home country. This not only helps you to settle, but you start building a friendship with your host family.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions about New Zealand and things that you see or do every day.
• Don't compare host families - just as everyone is different in your home country, do not expect that all host families will be the same in New Zealand.
• Whitireia guarantees to arrange your homestay accommodation, if required. We strongly advise that you choose home stays that Whitireia has approved.

Homestay Payment

You need to pay two weeks in advance for your homestay accommodation.

Leaving Your Homestay

You must tell your homestay family two weeks in advance that you wish to leave. This is called giving two weeks notice. Your homestay family must also give you two weeks notice if they wish you to leave, so that you can find other accommodation.

Going Away for Holidays

If you are going away for a week or more you have to pay 50% of the homestay fee. This means that you are able to leave everything in your room while you are away.

Problems with Your Homestay

Our homestay providers operate under the Code of Practice for Pastoral Care of International Students, which means there are rules for the way they need to take care of you.

If you have any questions or concerns about your host family, please let us know as soon as possible. Don't let small issues become big problems.

Talk to our International Office staff or the Homestay Co-ordinators:

Homestay Co-ordinators Wellington:

• Marlene Dempster,+64 4 237 3100 ext 3610

Homestay Co-ordinators Auckland:

• Rossana Reyes,+64 9 306 3683

Flatting: Renting Accommodation for Yourself

Students in New Zealand often rent houses or apartments, usually in groups. Flats are usually unfurnished. Expenses are divided and cooking meals and housework is usually shared.

Think carefully before considering sharing a flat or organising accommodation that has not been checked out by Whitireia. Renting a flat will give you more freedom, but it will probably be harder for you to find private study time. If you move into an empty flat, rather than take a room in one that is already set up, you will need to arrange the power (electricity) and/or gas and the phone and be responsible for paying for them. You may also need to buy furniture. Many property owners require a lease of one year or more. The government operates a bond system for the protection of both property owners and tenants, so you will need to pay a bond too.

The New Zealand Tenancy Service can provide useful information on renting, designed for people who need to know the basics about renting for the first time. To view further information about renting, go to the New Zealand Tenancy Service web site.