During my last house inspection I told my property manager that my oven's temperature dial keeps going up by itself, sometimes while using it, but it can also happen overnight when the oven is off. It doesn't happen very often and the oven doesn't actually turn on, but I've come down in the morning to find the dial at 250°c, which was incredibly frightening.

I finally (after two months) received an email from my property manager stating, "Please note that the electrician's call-out fee is $120 plus GST. If the electrician confirms that the oven is faulty, we can arrange the necessary repairs accordingly. However, if no fault is found with the oven, the tenants will be responsible for the call-out cost."

Can my landlord charge me if the electrician doesn't find anything? I cannot afford $120+ on the chance they find nothing.

I am currently applying for a student visa and would like some advice regarding how to present my employment history and salary documentation during the visa process.
I have been working at an early-stage startup since March 2026. The company is legally registered, and the owner is someone my family knows personally.
My employment and salary details are as follows:
March to August 2026: I received a monthly salary of ₹18,000 in cash.
August 2026 to the present: My salary increased to ₹47,000 per month, which I have been receiving through handwritten cheques issued by the employer.
I deposited these cheques into my bank account, so the transactions are reflected in my bank statements.
I have my offer letter, bank statements, cheque deposit slips, and images of the handwritten cheques.
However, I do not have TDS certificates, Form 16, or Income Tax Return (ITR) documents.
My main concern is that Immigration office may question the authenticity of my salary payments because the company initially paid me in cash and later switched to handwritten cheques instead of direct bank transfers.
I am currently considering two options:
Option 1: Declare my actual employment and salary history
I could submit my employment details exactly as they are, along with my offer letter, bank statements, cheque deposit slips, and copies of the handwritten cheques.
However, I am concerned that the lack of TDS, Form 16, and ITR documents, combined with the unusual salary payment method, could raise questions during the visa assessment.
Option 2: Present my employment as an unpaid position
Another possibility I have been considering is describing my employment from August 2026 to the present as an unpaid internship or work experience. This might reduce the need to provide salary-related documentation.
However, since I have actually received payments, I am unsure whether this would be appropriate or could create complications during the visa process.
What I would like advice on:
I want to understand the safest and most legitimate way to present my employment history without negatively affecting my student visa application.
Are there any additional documents I could obtain from my employer, such as salary certificates, payslips, employment verification letters, or other supporting evidence, to strengthen my application?
Since this is a small, early-stage startup and I have a good relationship with the owner, I can request any genuine documentation the company is able to provide.
My priority is to ensure that my application is transparent, credible, and properly documented while minimizing the risk of unnecessary complications or visa rejection.
I would really appreciate your advice on which option would be most appropriate or whether there is a better alternative I should consider.
One important point: I would strongly advise against Option 2 if you were genuinely paid. Describing paid employment as unpaid could create a serious misrepresentation issue if Immigration New Zealand reviews your bank statements or verifies your employment.
A better approach is to document your actual salary history accurately and ask your employer for genuine supporting records. Cheque payments are not inherently suspicious, and the absence of TDS or an ITR does not automatically mean your employment is invalid. The tax requirements and visa documentation should be checked based on your specific circumstances.

Ive just found out about this new act and am trying to wrap my head around it.

In the new employment leave act to come into force in 2028, ‘standard hours’ are ‘minimum hours’ and ‘additional hours’ are any hours worked over the minimum contracted hours.

I work in hospitality, I am contracted to a minimum 10hrs a week, but on busy weeks I can work 40+. Does that mean that on a week I work 40 hours, I’ll only accrue annual leave for 10 of them?

Really hoping that I’ve understood this wrong, as this seems so predatory to those working in the hospitality and retail sector, we get taken advantage of enough already.

I need some advice

My wife (22f) and I (23m) are living in an apartment complex in Auckland. Recently we decided to upgrade from a 1 bedroom to a 2 bedroom instead of a bond transfer we had to pay a new seperate bond which we did without thinking to much about it

Before moving out we cleaned our whole apartment paid for a rug doctor to get the carpets cleaned we painted and patched any damages in our walls from our dog who had scratched a door frame and documented everything making sure we had left it in a reasonably clean and tidy state

After our move out inspection we received an email claiming that our old apartment had a “strong dog odour throughout the whole apartment” and we would need to pay for professional cleaning ($548) we got the opportunity to go back into the apartment and check the “smell” for ourselves and my wife and I could not smell anything relating to the dog odour a security guard had accompanied us and he also agreed that he couldn’t smell anything either

we disputed this with the landlord and provided all our photos showing the apartment to be clean and no stains or damage

after being ignored by our landlord for weeks we contacted tenancy services to request a bond refund got the application filled out and within the week the landlord disputed the application and sent us an email claiming that the dog odour was actually in the bedroom and not the whole apartment and that they had to replace the carpet ($1080)

They are now saying that they will cover the cost of the carpet if we just pay for the professional cleaning and if we don’t they will try seek out the full amount for both (just over $1600)

I need advice on how to approach this in tribunal as we are confident that we are not liable for any of these charges and we believe the landlord is just trying to squeeze as much as they can from us and other tenants in the complex as we are not the only people with the same issues

We are getting statement from other people who have lived there to help with the case aswell

Please if anyone has any advice or if we need to gather any extra evidence any help is appreciated as this is our first time dealing with anything like this

Thanks

Mods please let me know if I have to add any other info I don’t normally post on reddit

Hey so I’ve recently got a job at a cafe/ bakery and the owners are really stingy with money. Is it legal for them to tell us to clock out then have a work related discussion with us, to talk about performance tell us we aren’t doing good? this has happened a few times now and i feel as a part time worker something doesn’t feel quite right about that. or expect us to clock in after putting on our aprons (which are kept there) and wash our hands? It’s a mandatory requirement but im not sure. They’re also major assholes to us in general the owners who are also the managers are always speaking down to us, the turnover there is insanely high due to people leaving because of them, everyone is a new hire basically. But yeah I just want to know if it’s legal and what to do now? I’m scared to say anything too because i’m still in my trial period. one of my co workers was also called a dumb bitch and we have been yelled at several times by them.

I sold a house in 2009 due to divorce and put most of my proceeds from sale of matrimonial property in silver and gold bars thinking I would give them to my kids as an inheritance. I have also brought much smaller amounts since if I had extra funds. Now I am wanting to sell as I have recently become interested in buying some rural land to establish a community retreat. Am I right in thinking if I form a charitable trust and donate the bars and the trust sells them then the trust incurs no tax on sale of the gift? The rules are so different now , it seems banks and lawyers and nz govt all assume owning bullion is deeply suspicious and needs to be investigated. I would really appretiate your help in answers to navigate this. I don’t want my bank account frozen !!! if I sold the bars personally would I be liable for taxation at the top tax rate ? This wouldnt leave enough to accomplish my purpose. Is there anyway of getting an answer from IRD on their position re private sale of the bars vs the charitable trust selling? Maybe they have an AI agent that can help? But a person would be better. As there is quite a bit at stake I need to know their view on it.

I am open to other structures or pathways to achieve the best outcome, so thankyou in advance.

In-between a rock and a hard place with my Tenancy situation.

Without going into all the details, we've established with the help of community law and the council that landlords have breached a number of responsibilities and committed unlawful acts including:

Failure to maintain

Quiet enjoyment (lawyer said this was without a doubt harassment based on timeline of events)

Non compliance of healthy homes insulation and heating

Misrepresentation of property use by LL

Interference with services

Privacy and access

Loss of amenities

Lack of consents for building work and change of use

Etc.

I'm still living in property, have been trying to find something else but it is proving impossible. Community lawyer said to issue 14 day notice, but I feel that this could make things worse when LL already proven to retaliate when I make a request or complaint. Also, some of these things can't be fixed in 14 days or at all, so would a 14 day notice have only the things that can be fixed?

Also wary that pointing out the stuff about unlawful premises will not go down well at all.

Id called tenancy services and they just said move out then do a TT application.

But without having a lot of options, this could take a long time!

I know TT can order things like making premises compliant? I would stay if I could, but there's a lot to fix and I worry about what the LL could do to make my life hell since they like a bit of daily intimidation.

Not 100% sure what I'm asking, perhaps if anyone has any words of wisdom about managing situation and if 14 day notice should be done?

(Btw LL has had consistent attitude of 'no one else has ever had a problem ' or 'do what you want as long as we don't have to pay' when matters have been raised)

Looking for lawyer recommendations in the Wellington region, for a property lawyer experienced in co-ownership disputes and taking them through to the high court to force a sale/buyout. Thanks!

Kia ora

My role has been disestablished.

I expressed interest in a newly created role. I was offered that role but not in writing. And no salary has been advised yet.

Plus a 6 month probation period. Even though I have worked here for 3 years.

They want an answer within one working day.

I feel pressured and I feel like I don’t have enough information to make an informed decision.

Is there any legal guidance or advice online I can read that can help me?

Thank you all.