Renting Your Home as a Filming Location in NZ

From international blockbusters to local television dramas, New Zealand productions need real locations. While purpose-built sets work for some scenes, nothing matches the authenticity of an actual home, with its lived-in character, genuine wear, and the subtle details that make a space feel real on screen. If your property has something distinctive to offer, it could earn you substantial income as a filming location.

The film and television industry in New Zealand has grown dramatically in recent decades, supported by government incentives, world-class production facilities, and our spectacular natural landscapes. But beyond the mountains and beaches that attract international productions, there is a constant demand for domestic locations, the houses, apartments, and properties where screen characters live, work, and interact.

What Productions Look For

Location scouts search for properties that suit their specific story needs, and those needs vary enormously. A crime drama might want a run-down state house; a romantic comedy might seek a stylish apartment; a period piece might need a villa with original features intact. There is no single "ideal" filming location, which means a wide variety of properties can attract production interest.

• Distinctive character: Period features, unique architecture, or memorable design elements
• Good natural light: Large windows and controllable lighting conditions
• Spacious rooms: Space for cameras, lights, and crew to work without cramming
• Practical access: Easy load-in for equipment and parking for production vehicles
• Quiet location: Minimal traffic noise, flight paths, or background interference
• Flexible layout: Multiple rooms that can serve different scene requirements

Even if your home does not tick all these boxes, it might suit a specific production perfectly. The ordinary suburban house could be exactly what a production needs for its characters. Do not assume your property is not interesting enough; let the location agencies and scouts make that determination.

Working with Location Agencies

Location agencies serve as intermediaries between homeowners and productions. They maintain databases of available properties, understand what productions are looking for, and handle the logistics of matching locations with requirements.

Registration charges and terms vary between location agencies. You provide photographs of your property, details about its features and availability, and contact information. When a production is searching for something that matches your property, the agency will reach out to discuss opportunities.

An agency may charge commission or other fees under its own terms. This might seem like a cost, but agencies bring significant value. They have established relationships with production companies, understand industry-standard contracts, and can negotiate effectively on your behalf. Compare agency and direct-booking arrangements, including fees, authority, insurance checks and contract support.

• Film Auckland (Auckland region locations)
• Wellington Locations
• Film Otago
• Various independent location scouts and managers

Search for location agencies in your region and check their terms. Contact the relevant council or regional film office about local requirements; Screen Auckland notes that public-space activity supporting a private-property shoot can still require a permit, and affected neighbours or businesses should be consulted.

Understanding Location Fees

Location fees for residential properties vary considerably depending on the production type, duration, property features, and level of disruption involved. Fees vary with the production, duration, access, exclusivity, property and disruption, so rely on a written quote and agreement rather than a generic rate.

There is no verified standard daily rate for New Zealand homes; record the location fee, overtime, preparation, pack-down, cancellation and reimbursable costs in writing. Commercial advertising shoots often pay at the upper end of the scale, given their concentrated budgets and shorter timeframes.

The fee compensates you for access to your property, the disruption to your normal routine, and your cooperation with production requirements. Additional costs, such as moving or storing your belongings, should be negotiated separately.

What to Expect During Filming

Filming is disruptive; there is no getting around this reality. Understanding what happens helps you decide whether it is right for you.

A location scout will visit first to assess your property, take photographs or video, and discuss logistics. If selected, you will have further visits from production designers, directors, and technical crew planning the shoot.

• Crew typically arrive early to set up and may work late into the evening
• Multiple trucks and vehicles will need parking nearby
• Cables, lights, and equipment will be throughout your property
• Furniture may be moved, rooms redressed, or temporary modifications made
• You will likely need to be away from the property during shooting
• Craft services (catering) will operate for cast and crew

Set out restoration standards, inspection, damage reporting, responsibility, evidence and timeframes in the written agreement. However, be clear about expectations and document the state of your home before the crew arrives. Take photographs of every room and note any existing damage.

Contracts and Insurance

Do not assume a production’s insurance covers every risk; request its current certificate and check the insured parties, activities, limits, excesses and exclusions. This should be specified in your contract, and you can request to see their certificate of insurance before filming begins.

Review contracts carefully before signing. Key points to check include the fee and payment terms, exactly what access is granted, hours of operation, restoration obligations, insurance coverage, and cancellation provisions. If you are uncertain about any clauses, ask questions or seek professional advice.

Also check your own home insurance policy. Tell your insurer about the proposed filming and ask how it affects your policy before agreeing. Consumer Protection says policyholders should provide complete, current and relevant information when circumstances change; any cover, exclusion or consequence is policy- and fact-specific. Do not assume the production’s cover is primary or that it replaces your own checks.

Tax Implications

Payments for use of your home may have income-tax and GST consequences. Inland Revenue says treatment depends on the kind of income, so confirm how the particular payments and activity should be returned.

• Income treatment: keep contracts and payment records, then confirm how each payment should be treated for tax
• GST registration: Inland Revenue requires registration when turnover from taxable activities was at least $60,000 in the last 12 months or is expected to be at least that amount in the next 12 months, or when GST is added to prices
• Expenses: deductibility depends on the connection to earning income, private-use apportionment and the nature of the cost; do not assume every filming-related payment is deductible
• Record keeping: Keep invoices, contracts, and records of all payments and related expenses

If you are unsure about your tax obligations, consult an accountant. The rules around GST registration and deductible expenses can be complex, especially if you have other income-generating activities.

Beyond Film and Television

It is not just film and TV productions that need locations. Advertising agencies, photographers, music video producers, and corporate video creators all seek interesting spaces. Photo shoots for catalogues, magazines, and online content happen constantly, often with smaller crews and less disruption than major productions.

Commercial photography may create additional enquiries, but booking frequency and income are not guaranteed. This can be particularly appealing if your property photographs well and you prefer shorter, less disruptive engagements.

Getting Started

If location rental appeals to you, start by photographing your property thoroughly, capturing its best features in good natural light. Register with location agencies in your region and be responsive when they contact you. Understand that bookings may be sporadic, as productions search for specific requirements that your property may or may not match.

Be realistic about disruption and whether it suits your lifestyle. Location rental can produce income, but the amount and frequency are uncertain and must be weighed against access, disruption, risk, tax and insurance terms. But it is not passive income; it requires flexibility, cooperation, and a willingness to share your space with strangers for the duration of the shoot.