Terms & Privacy

Last updated: April 2026

Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully before using the Heron Living website or engaging our property management services. By accessing our website or entering into a service agreement with us, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms.

1. Introduction

These Terms and Conditions govern your use of the Heron Living website located at heronliving.co.nz (the "Site") and the property management services offered by Heron Living Ltd ("Heron Living", "we", "us", or "our"), a company registered in New Zealand.

Heron Living provides short-term rental (STR) property management services to residential property owners in New Zealand. We are an independent property management company and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, or any other online travel agency (OTA) platform mentioned on this site.

These Terms apply to all visitors, property owners, and any other users of the Site or our services. If you do not agree to any part of these Terms, you must immediately stop using our Site and services.

2. Our Services

Heron Living provides a comprehensive short-term rental property management service in New Zealand. Our services include, but are not limited to:

• Property listing creation, optimisation, and management across multiple OTA platforms including Airbnb, Booking.com, and VRBO
• Guest communications and reservations management (24/7)
• Dynamic pricing management using revenue optimisation tools
• Professional photography and listing presentation
• Guest check-in and check-out coordination
• Professional cleaning, inspection, and property turnover services
• Maintenance coordination and preventative property care
• Monthly financial reporting and owner disbursements
• Guest identity verification and vetting

The specific services provided to each property owner are governed by a separate Property Management Agreement entered into between Heron Living and the property owner. In the event of any conflict between these Terms and a signed Property Management Agreement, the Property Management Agreement shall prevail.

Note: Information published on the Site about earnings, occupancy rates, or income projections is indicative only and does not constitute a guarantee of financial performance. Actual results will vary based on property location, condition, seasonality, and market conditions.

3. Website Use

You may use our Site for lawful purposes only and in a manner that does not infringe the rights of others. You agree not to:

• Reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, or exploit any portion of the Site without our express written permission
• Transmit any unsolicited or unauthorised advertising or spam
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Site or its related systems
• Use the Site in any way that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, or otherwise objectionable
• Upload or transmit any content that contains viruses, malicious code, or any other harmful software

We reserve the right to restrict or terminate access to the Site for any user who violates these Terms or engages in conduct we deem inappropriate, at our sole discretion and without notice.

4. Property Owner Agreement

Where you engage Heron Living to manage your property, the following conditions apply in addition to any separately signed Property Management Agreement:

Authorisation

By entering into a Property Management Agreement, you confirm that you are the legal owner of the property or are duly authorised by the owner to enter into such an agreement. You authorise Heron Living to act as your agent for the purposes of listing, marketing, managing, and maintaining the property as a short-term rental.

Property Condition & Compliance

You confirm that the property complies with all applicable New Zealand laws, local council bylaws, body corporate rules (if applicable), and short-term rental regulations including any resource consent requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure the property meets applicable health and safety standards.

Owner Stays

Property owners may request use of their property for personal stays subject to availability and reasonable notice. Owner stays are subject to the terms set out in the individual Property Management Agreement.

Property Rules

Owners are responsible for providing Heron Living with any specific house rules or restrictions for their property prior to listing. Heron Living will incorporate these into guest communications and listings. However, owners accept that Heron Living cannot guarantee that all guests will comply with all house rules at all times.

5. Fees & Payments

Heron Living's fees are as set out in the current fee schedule and as agreed in your Property Management Agreement. Our management fee is calculated as a percentage of the gross rental income earned from confirmed bookings and is deducted prior to your monthly disbursement.

GST

All fees quoted by Heron Living are exclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST) unless expressly stated otherwise. Where applicable, GST will be added at the current rate prescribed by the Goods and Services Tax Act 1985 (NZ).

Disbursements

Monthly owner disbursements will be processed on or about the date specified in your Property Management Agreement, accompanied by a detailed monthly income statement.

Expenses

Routine operational expenses (cleaning, consumables, and maintenance up to the pre-agreed threshold) will be deducted from monthly income prior to disbursement and itemised in the monthly report. Expenses exceeding the agreed threshold will require owner approval.

Cancellations

Guest cancellation policies are set in accordance with the policy selected on each OTA platform. Heron Living is not liable for any loss of income arising from guest cancellations, platform decisions, or unforeseen circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

6. Obligations

Heron Living's Obligations

Heron Living will exercise reasonable care and skill in providing its property management services. We commit to:

• Acting honestly and transparently in all dealings with property owners and guests
• Maintaining accurate financial records and providing timely monthly reports
• Responding to guest enquiries and issues promptly
• Coordinating timely cleaning and property turnovers
• Promptly notifying property owners of any significant property damage or issues
• Handling all personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the Privacy Act 2020

Owner's Obligations

Property owners agree to:

• Ensure the property is in a clean, safe, and guest-ready condition at the commencement of management
• Promptly inform Heron Living of any changes to property status, tenancy restrictions, or body corporate rules
• Maintain adequate insurance coverage for the property throughout the term of the agreement
• Provide accurate property information and comply with all relevant laws and regulations
• Meet all mortgage, body corporate levy, rates, and other financial obligations relating to the property

7. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by New Zealand law, Heron Living's total aggregate liability to you arising out of or in connection with these Terms or our services shall not exceed the total management fees paid to Heron Living by you in the three (3) calendar months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

Heron Living shall not be liable for:

• Any loss of income, revenue, profit, or anticipated savings
• Any damage to property caused by guests where Heron Living has exercised reasonable guest vetting procedures
• Any loss or damage arising from force majeure events including natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, or platform outages
• Any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party OTA platforms or channel managers
• Any indirect, consequential, or special losses of any kind

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability which cannot be excluded under applicable law, including the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and Fair Trading Act 1986.

8. Insurance & Indemnity

Property owners are strongly advised to obtain and maintain appropriate short-term rental insurance throughout the term of their Property Management Agreement. Standard homeowner or landlord policies may not cover short-term rental activities.

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Heron Living, its directors, officers, and staff from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses arising out of or in any way connected with:

• Your breach of these Terms or any Property Management Agreement
• Your failure to maintain adequate insurance
• Any claim by a guest or third party relating to the condition or compliance of your property
• Your failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations, or council requirements

9. Intellectual Property

All content on this Site, including but not limited to text, images, graphics, logos, icons, and software, is the property of Heron Living or its content licensors and is protected by New Zealand and international copyright laws.

Photographs taken by Heron Living or engaged photographers on behalf of Heron Living remain the property of Heron Living unless otherwise agreed in writing.

10. Third-Party Platforms

Heron Living manages properties across a number of third-party booking platforms. The use of these platforms is subject to each platform's own terms of service. Heron Living has no control over and accepts no liability for the terms, policies, decisions, or actions of third-party platforms.

11. Termination

Either party may terminate a Property Management Agreement in accordance with the notice period and conditions specified therein. Upon termination, Heron Living will:

• Honour and manage all confirmed bookings with check-in dates prior to the end of the notice period
• Provide a final reconciliation statement and disburse any remaining funds owed
• Return any property keys, access devices, and owner-supplied materials
• Remove Heron Living's listings from OTA platforms within a reasonable timeframe

12. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of New Zealand. Any disputes arising in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts.

13. Amendments

Heron Living reserves the right to update or amend these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated to existing property owners via email at least 14 days prior to the changes taking effect, where practicable. Your continued use of the Site or our services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us:

Heron Living Ltd
Email: sales@heronliving.co.nz
Website: heronliving.co.nz
New Zealand