Hi There.
How to deal with rent arrears as times get tougher for tenants and landlords around New Zealand.There are always underlying reasons for arrears,apart from the very few who have no intention of paying their rent.
There is this belief that tenants on benefits spend all their money on cigarettes and Sky TV,actually they spend it on the same things we all do,like if the car breaks down or they need a new school uniform or medical costs.We don't need to look at problems,we need to look at solutions together.
If you owe rent it is likely that you owe money to other people,get to a budgeting agency they are free in most cases and are more than able to assist you to get on top of you financial problems.Talk to your landlord if you are having problems with paying the rent,your partner may have moved out or your job has been reduced to fewer hours there are a number of reasons why you are struggling to meet your rental obligations. Talk to your landlord or property manager don't run and hide it is in their interests to keep you in your home if you are a good tenant you always pay the rent and maintain the property,every now and again shit happens its called life.If you have to go to the Tenancy Tribunal because you are 3 weeks behind with the rent and the landlord/property manager are seeking your eviction,get in touch with us Manawatu Tenants Union,Community House 77 King Street, Palmerston North or phone 06 3577435 anytime and leave a message if I am out of the office.
Don't forget we need to get used to a world where we have less income and it cost landlords more to collect that money,and they may need to support their tenants through difficult times if they can.Some landlords need to change their approach,culture or they to could get into trouble,both parties should talk to one another and seek a soloution,its in both parties interests.
Manawatu Tenants Union
While we are informed that the Christchurch rebuild is leading the economic recovery,there is a dark side to the rebuild.Affordable rental accommodation is difficult to secure and tenants are having to deal with rapacious rental agencies. These agencies have introduced a fee to renew an existing tenancy agreement.The letting fee at the start of a tenancy is one weeks rent plus GST.It should be noted that there is no administration involved in renewing an existing tenancy agreement just a change of date.they just roll over.
Add on costs for tenants here in Palmerston North are a "pre-occupation bond '' and a 'break tenancy fee ' this is unfair as the tenant who wants to end the agreement has still got to pay the rent and seek a suitable replacement tenant. We consider these agencies to be exploitative when dealing with tenants.There is a strong tenant,landlord dynamic at play,in which
the former are seen as socially inferior to the latter.
It has never been a better time to be landlord as these increased costs only create instability and a climate of fear for tenants.It is wrong, and should have no place in New Zealand society,which still likes to see itself as a fair and just society.We will be following the progress of these increases on tenants and keep you informed.
Add on costs for tenants here in Palmerston North are a "pre-occupation bond '' and a 'break tenancy fee ' this is unfair as the tenant who wants to end the agreement has still got to pay the rent and seek a suitable replacement tenant. We consider these agencies to be exploitative when dealing with tenants.There is a strong tenant,landlord dynamic at play,in which
the former are seen as socially inferior to the latter.
It has never been a better time to be landlord as these increased costs only create instability and a climate of fear for tenants.It is wrong, and should have no place in New Zealand society,which still likes to see itself as a fair and just society.We will be following the progress of these increases on tenants and keep you informed.
Following on from our blog about rogue landlords,we have just read in the paper that rental agencies in Christchurch have decided to charge a fee to renew their tenancy agreements with their tenants.Letting fees were designed for agents to cover the cost of setting up a tenancy agreement.There is absolutely no administration involved in renewing a tenancy agreement except changing the date of the agreement.We have heard that some tenants are faced with bills of around $1000,many agents were opting for shorter tenancies so they could get more fees.
All tenants can do is take an application to the Tenancy Tribunal Clause 85 The Tribunal shall determine each dispute according to the general principles of the law relating to the manner and the substantial merits and justice of the case,but shall not be bound to give effect to strict legal rights or obligations or to legal forms or technicalities.
But at the end of the day its about greed and power, landlords have it tenants don't,many tenants are afraid to complain in case they lose their home and are blacklisted by a cabal of landlords.The Real Estate of New Zealand have been approached by the St. Vincent De Paul Society to get an answer to this issue caused by its membership,they do have a code of ethics lets hope they practice good will on this serious issue,which impacts on the majority of families who rent their homes.To date they have not made any comment ,so if this happens to you take an application to the Tenancy Tribunal you have everything to gain,we will be keeping an eye on this issue if this practice spreads like a cancer around the country.The Minister should nip this practice in the bud it is antisocial behaviour towards tenants,and the wider community.
All tenants can do is take an application to the Tenancy Tribunal Clause 85 The Tribunal shall determine each dispute according to the general principles of the law relating to the manner and the substantial merits and justice of the case,but shall not be bound to give effect to strict legal rights or obligations or to legal forms or technicalities.
But at the end of the day its about greed and power, landlords have it tenants don't,many tenants are afraid to complain in case they lose their home and are blacklisted by a cabal of landlords.The Real Estate of New Zealand have been approached by the St. Vincent De Paul Society to get an answer to this issue caused by its membership,they do have a code of ethics lets hope they practice good will on this serious issue,which impacts on the majority of families who rent their homes.To date they have not made any comment ,so if this happens to you take an application to the Tenancy Tribunal you have everything to gain,we will be keeping an eye on this issue if this practice spreads like a cancer around the country.The Minister should nip this practice in the bud it is antisocial behaviour towards tenants,and the wider community.
It would seem that the pilot scheme for a warrant of fitness for rental accommodation has fallen off the radar,as there has been not mention of its future in the scheme of things concerning rental housing.It would appear that some private sector landlords are not interested in having their rental properties regulated or scrutinized,because their business relies upon low standards and high rental charges. All that the Manawatu Tenants Union is fighting for is for rental housing to be fit for purpose to those who rent their home.There is also at play a strong tenant landlord dynamic in New Zealand in which the former are seen as socially inferior to the latter.We see and hear this on a daily basis,its about power,social power.Couple that with a government that wants to move back to a housing sector dominated by the private sector and paid for by the taxpayer.
The Manawatu Tenants Union believes that private landlords sector should be licensed and it should be mandatory this would go someway to getting rid of the rogue landlords who have no idea about tenants rights and obligations as well as their rights and obligations as good landlords.There are more people renting today than there has been for some considerable time,Generation Rent has arrived and will be a growing market so providing landlords and properties fit for purpose is not a big ask,as the New Zealand taxpayer contributes around $1.3 Billion to private sector landlords every year and increasing,all tenants want is a fair go.
The Manawatu Tenants Union believes that private landlords sector should be licensed and it should be mandatory this would go someway to getting rid of the rogue landlords who have no idea about tenants rights and obligations as well as their rights and obligations as good landlords.There are more people renting today than there has been for some considerable time,Generation Rent has arrived and will be a growing market so providing landlords and properties fit for purpose is not a big ask,as the New Zealand taxpayer contributes around $1.3 Billion to private sector landlords every year and increasing,all tenants want is a fair go.
The Manawatu Tenants Union has noticed a large increase in the number of families seeking advice and for somewhere to call home.Housing New Zealand intends to reduce its housing stock in the city by 504 homes on the grounds that there is no need for state houses,they are wrong but these decisions are made by officials who dont live in the city or the central region itself.The impact of the loss of 504 affordable will have a huge impact on the city and its plans for growth,yet the PNCC have made no statement on this issue.It should be noted that these homes will NOT be rebuilt at all,the city of Palmerston North can not afford to lose this number of affordable homes, they are all occupied at present,well most of them. The issue of earthquake risks is still on going, to date they have started to demolish a number of state homes in Rugby/ Raleigh Streets,there are a number still awaiting a notice to see if and when they will be demolished.If they keep them vacant for long enough they will become to big a problem to make fit for purpose,so knocking them over will be the only outcome.
Housing New Zealand itself has become a problem,a serious one for an increasing number of families seeing affordable accommodation around the city.The government has built a Berlin Wall around the eligibility rules making it a no go area for many tenants,they are told to seek emergency accommodation if at all possible,here in Palmerston North there is no emergency accommodation for families there has not been any emergency family accommodation for 15 years or more.
Housing is an election issue this time around so make sure you are on the electoral roll and use your vote to change things the present housing policies are failing a growing number of New Zealanders,it is within your power to turn it around for the wider public good,this is in everyones interests.
Housing New Zealand itself has become a problem,a serious one for an increasing number of families seeing affordable accommodation around the city.The government has built a Berlin Wall around the eligibility rules making it a no go area for many tenants,they are told to seek emergency accommodation if at all possible,here in Palmerston North there is no emergency accommodation for families there has not been any emergency family accommodation for 15 years or more.
Housing is an election issue this time around so make sure you are on the electoral roll and use your vote to change things the present housing policies are failing a growing number of New Zealanders,it is within your power to turn it around for the wider public good,this is in everyones interests.
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