Police search home owned by well-known Wellington landlord Matthew Ryan

A well-known Wellington landlord says a police search at his home is related to art he says he "legitimately purchased".

Police searched the Karaka Bays house on Friday morning.

Two unmarked police cars were parked outside the address, and officers in uniform were seen carrying the items away.

Police confirmed they were conducting a preplanned search operation in Karaka Bays.

Ryan has owned more than 100 properties, and regularly spoken to the media about the housing market and property investment.

He had pleaded not guilty to charges including strangulation/suffocation, threatening to kill or cause grievous bodily harm, and unlawfully possessing a firearm.

Eight of his companies, which own numerous properties, appeared to have been placed into interim receivership by the High Court earlier this month.

Ryan said at the time he was appealing the order, and there had "not been a business collapse - the companies are solvent".

"This is a simple case of a former partner applying for an ex parte notice."

He told RNZ on Friday the search was not related to any receivership.

"It's related to some art that I've legitimately purchased and have a receipt for," he said in a text. "I believe I purchased it off the legal owner."

"I'm as certain as I can be. I've got no reason not to be helpful. This came out of the blue. I'm confident I've done nothing wrong."