Legislation reinstating 90-day no-cause evictions for renters, and bringing in "pet bonds" has passed its third reading.

The bill amends the Residential Tenancies Act, and makes the following changes:

Pet bonds can amount up to two weeks' rent, on top of the usual four weeks' general bond. Only one pet bond is allowed at a time, and it will be unlawful for landlords to refuse renters to keep pets without reasonable grounds.

Periodic tenancies typically require 90 days' notice, the circumstances for the shorter 42-day period include if the landlord needs the property to live in, for a family member, or their employees to live in.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop said re-introducing a "no cause" backstop would give landlords more confidence to rent their properties to tenants who "may otherwise have been considered too risky".

"The suite of sensible pro-tenant and pro-landlord changes in the Bill passed into law by Parliament today will give landlords confidence to re-enter the market and tenants more ability to secure a rental home," he said.

The Green Party, however, said the no-cause tenancies would leave renters in limbo ahead of the festive season.

"Housing is a human right, but this government is treating it like a business. Housing forms the foundation for our communities to thrive, it is something we can afford to provide to everyone," the party's housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul said.

"Successive governments have failed to treat housing as the public good it really is. It is no surprise the current landlord government has ignored the frankly overwhelming public opposition to this Bill."

rnz.co.nz