Manawatu Tenants Union
December 19th.
I was gobsmacked to read the comments of ex-minister Michael Bassett in the Listner,who stated that the gaps between the have's and the have not's in New Zealand is "bunkum".This is right up there with climate denier's.The number of respected agencies from around the world have written report's on the increasing housing crisis affecting families,the main cause of poverty and inequality in New Zealand.
On housing matters many politicians in both local and central government,understand very little and retain almost nothing on the impact that their policies have on the homeless and low income tenants.
The affordable housing crisis will define the 2017 election as state housing and affordable housing vanish before our eye's.New Zealanders need to make sure you vote and do what they can to change the housing policies that have created the broken society that is New Zealand today.
December 9th.
Interesting that the Prime Minister John Key suddenly resigns,Why.This from a Prime Minister who just a few weeks ago was talking about his fourth term and about to change his cabinet members.
The housing crisis is looming over his government and with the rise of the working class in the USA and in England unhappy with their lives the same will happen here.People have had enough of politicians who no longer represent their interests.They feel that the benefits that were promised by the free market and government have passed them by.They feel excluded and that it is the wealthy who have gained while they see poverty and inequality increase on a massive scale.
Despite this the Key National led government is pushing ahead with yet another sale of 2500 state homes in Christchurch,to private landlords.This at a time when more affordable state homes are needed,it defies common sense that they are pushing ahead with this failed policy of state house sales. The National led government members are really out of touch with the general public of New Zealand.The housing crisis was created by this government through its ideologically driven policies,all they have delivered is poverty and inequality on a massive scale.
The housing crisis will only end when there is a change of government as the present government don't think there is a problem.For this to happen,make sure you are on the electoral roll and voice your disapproval of the failed housing policies of the Key government.
November 25th
We have witnessed the awaking of the working class in the UK and now in the USA.Who through the power of the ballot box have voted for change,as they have felt that they have been ignored over the last 30 years.
While governments crow about the benefits of the free market very little of the benefits reach the working class here in New Zealand as well,poverty is widespread Globalisation has been discredited,the housing crisis and the hardships that it has created,are signs that we are in social and cultural decline.The free market has been successful in dividing the country into the poor and the rich,it is no longer the fair and decent country that politicians would like you to believe.
On housing matters many politicians in both central and local government understand very little and retain almost nothing on the impact that their housing policies have on the homeless and low income tenants,searching for decent and affordable housing.
Tenants will be in the majority as home ownership rates continue to fall,many people will have no option but to rent.Governments will succeed or fail by how well they can deliver affordable housing for all.
The events in the UK and the USA are proof that people can change the established thinking of our political parties by making sure you vote.Your vote is at the very heart of our democratic system,it is the most powerful weapon tenants have,make sure you vote in the General Election in 2017.Remember to do it for your children and grandchildren,we owe them that much.
November 11th.
Band Aid Politics
The National led government has announced a $300 million housing package over the next 4 years to provide an extra 1400 new emergency beds for the homeless.
While the government still refuses to acknowledge that there is a housing crisis in the country. The evidence would suggest otherwise,the government is out of touch with the reality of the hardships facing families living in cars,garages,caravan parks and on the street.
Housing New Zealand has been reduced to a shadow of its former self,with thousands of state homes sold off to private landlords.
The governments housing policies are a shambles and will become a disaster if the government goes ahead with its plans to sell more state housing to overseas multinationals and local business interests. The New Zealand taxpayer will bear the cost for this with increased landlord subsidies through the accommodation supplement.
Poor housing and homelessness along with child poverty will be the lasting legacy of the Key administration.Government has to build more state houses and support struggling low income families in particular.Many families have been pushed to the edges of our free market economy,it has failed to reach them,if the government continues to ignore the housing crisis,we will all pay the price for these failed policies of exclusion.
The world of affordable rental housing is vanishing before our eyes,we have to reverse this trend.
November 9th.
Interesting to read the news from Tenancy Services,that their compliance and Investigations team have begun inspecting rental homes and how disappointed with what they found in Dunedin.
Dunedin is the first stop and there will be other operations around the country ,large cities as well as rural areas will be visited.They have stated that they will not hesitate to take action for breaches of tenancy law,these are subject to a penalty of up to $4000 per breach. They have new powers to monitor and enforce compliance with the act,this includes the power to prosecute landlords who seriously or persistently breach housing standards standards.
Priorities include smoke alarms,damp and sub-standard housing and insulation.Lets trust that is not all talk,tenants need to act on rogue landlords,ring 0800 673 262 for more information on the new services being provided,and make sure you report sub-standard housing.
The Manawatu Tenants Union has been active in trying to introduce a register for all landlords with their local council,this is common practice in many other European countries. Tenants have to give a lot of personal information about them and their families.The same is at not required of their landlord.The register would be a good indication that their landlord was of good character and a fair landlord to deal with.The register would be seen as a code of good practice for their rental business,it would be of assistance to the increasing number of overseas born landlords about their rights and obligations as good landlords.The register will be required in the future as more people will be renting for most of their lives,and are entitled to accommodation that is fit for purpose,after all they pay high rents.
November 3rd.
Local authority housing and state housing plays an essential role in protecting people who are vulnerable because of old age,mental illness as well as those on low incomes,from homelessness.They also provide tenants with secure tenancies which is not the case with private landlords,it should be noted that women and their children are over represented amongst those at risk from eviction.
While private landlords have a vital role to play in solving our housing crisis,it is clear that they cannot build the number of affordable homes that will be required for future generations.There will be no end in sight,until there is a dramatic increase in state houses to assist the growing number of New Zealanders who will remain tenants during their lifetime.All types of housing is required now,from state housing social housing, long with support for home ownership.
We will only see a genuine end to our housing crisis when central government gets on and invests in a state house building programme, it has to happen as it is the only way forward for all those who believe in New Zealand as a fair and decent society.As waiting lists continue to grow,it should be remembered that the massive sell -off of state housing in the 1990's,has deprived low income families and future generations of a place to call home.The housing reforms from that period have failed to deliver the choice and affordability that the National government promised at the time .
October 28th.
At long last the Ministry of Business,Innovation and Employment [ MBIE ] have recognized the problem of rogue landlords who rent out sub-standard properties.
It should be noted that sub-standard rental housing has been a blot on the the landscape for a number of years. Just look at the poor condition of student housing,yet they pay market rent for slum housing,its wrong.
The Manawatu Tenants Union has for a number of years been pushing for a Landlord Register,in a number of developed countries this is common practice.In the UK it is seen as a way of targeting the worst landlords in the private rental sector.
Landlords should have to be licensed and those renting sub-standard properties should be blacklisted.A landlord licensing scheme would require all landlords to be register their rental properties with the local authorities and are fit for purpose.After all taxpayers contribute $2 Billion and increasing by the year to landlords through the Accommodation Supplement.So it is reasonable to expect that the accommodation being supplied is fit for purpose.
When looking at renting a property,landlords or their property managers want to know every thing about a prospective tenant.Yet the tenant knows nothing about the landlords reputation or character.
Renting out property is about power and control over peoples lives,landlords and property managers would like us believe that they provide a public good,that is nonsense it is a private good,it is a business there is nothing charitable about it.
The fact that the government has acknowledged that there is an imbalance in the relationship between tenant and landlord is long overdue,we will follow this issue with interest.
October 14th.
Good to read that the Labour, Green and Maori parties have released their policy document on ways to address the governments housing crisis.
The Housing First policy if implemented will be good news for the increasing number of New Zealanders seeking affordable and secure accommodation.For those seeking a place to call home and a roof over their heads,instead of the streets or cars, this is good news
The Housing First model was first used in Finland and from 2008 to 2014,the number of homeless people decreased and continues to track downwards which offers hope to those seeking accommodation and remove the scourge of being homeless.
It is also encouraging to see our political parties look at how other non Anglo- Saxon countries solve housing issues,where as in New Zealand we only follow other English speaking countries [ USA UK Canada Australia ].
There is no doubt that the housing crisis is here and we will produce a generation who will never attain the standard of living that their parents enjoyed. Its policy failure by any standard and this will be the legacy of the Key National lead government.
October 10th.
During the last few years,problems with rent increases around New Zealand has had a serious effect on households to rent a decent and affordable home.The majority of cases before the Tenancy Tribunal are for rent arrears.
There has to be a means of ensuring affordability and security of tenure,which raises the issue of rent controls.Rent controls usually means that the rent can only increase at the rate of inflation or if the landlord has made major improvements to the property.
Rent controls can support security of tenure,a big issue in New Zealand today and contain the leavers and frequency of rent increases.
Critics of rent control and regulation claim that such measures produce inefficiencies,and reduce the housing supply and encourages lack of maintenance.In other countries like New Zealand,rent regulation has had favourable effects and benefits for both landlords and tenants,it has created a better understanding for both parties .
As more and more New Zealanders are renting and it is the future despite the words of politicians who don't seem to take that message on board.Rent controls will kick in as taxpayer's will question the subsidy paid to landlords to the tune of $3 billion every year,there are only around 380,000 private landlords in New Zealand.
This is another reason that a building programme must start sooner rather than later,at least the taxpayer will have an asset for the public good and not the private good.
October 6th.
It is ironic that we now hear and read about poverty from politicians in government,who supported the policies which created the poverty in the first place.
The National government and their support parties,think social housing should be housing of last resort,but never admit that there is not enough of it. A key role for the state is to balance market forces and promote public well being as poverty leads to decay ,the longer it persists the harder it is to get out of it.All the evidence to date shows that more and more tenants are struggling to afford a place to call home.The private rental market is the driver of poverty in New Zealand.It all points to one thing,we have to build more housing that is affordable and provides security for tenants.
The legacy of the present government will be one of increasing housing poverty and all its associated evils.
Monday 3rd. October is International Tenants Day.The theme this year is on the costs of renting a home for the growing number of tenants who have been shut out the housing market.The Manawatu Tenants Union will celebrate the day with a display on rental costs in Palmerston North,where rents are not cheap.It will set back those looking for a three bed roomed flat/house around $2,300.00 just to move in.The display will be held in the Palmerston North City Library ,so come along and join in the conversation.
MTU September 26th.
March 9th.2016
The Manawatu Tenants Union is highlighting the need for all landlords to be licensed just like all other business operations.Under current legislation anyone can trade as a landlord without experience or knowledge of tenancy requirements.A new landlord licensing system would require all landlords to register with the local authority.Landlord registers have been set up in parts of the UK as a way of targeting rogue landlords,who rent out sub-standard properties.It would be good for tenants to know something of the kind of person their landlord was.After all landlords want to know every thing about their tenants financial/personal history etc.It would be a character reference for the tenant so as they know who they are dealing with.The licensing of all landlords would be seen as a code of good practice for their business interests. This could be of help for overseas born landlords about both their rights and obligations as landlords and the rule of law in New Zealand concerning rental accommodation.
Hi There.
The Manawatu Tenants Union would like to see the introduction of licensing scheme,where all landlords would need a license to rent out housing to tenants.Under current legislation anyone can rent out a property without experience or knowledge of tenancy requirements.
A landlord should have to be licensed,and those who rent sub-standard properties should be blacklisted.
Hi There.
The Manawatu Tenants Union has spent a bit of time in Whanganui delivering seminars to Balance Health Promotion in the Community House.It was a well attended meeting and the 20 odd students seemed to enjoy the meeting and asked questions.I just covered the history of the MTU and went over the residential tenancies act for the students I just covered the basics which was all they were interested in,stuff they needed to know when in discussions with their landlord/agent.
We have become aware of a Housing Trust in the city,which is causing a lot of problems for its residents.The trust has employed a new manager who seems to be on a mission to convert the residents to his church according to what we have been told.They are given 28 days under the law to move into another Trust House which they are entitled to do.The issues for the move is that there has been damage done to the properties owned by the Trust,this has been put down to drinking of beer and smoking of drugs,there is a dispute as to who is to blame.The residents we spoke with said that in some cases they were out of town when the inspections took place.We have, along with other agencies spoken to the the manager but nothing has come of it,he insists that they have to move,its a stalemate at present,its a shame as no one wins.We will continue to monitor the Trust and their activities,we have contact with some of those affected by the change in direction of the Trust.
Welcome to 2016.Lets hope that things improve for tenants in New Zealand and that they find decent and affordable housing.So far it would seem that that will not happen as Auckland landlords are set to increase their rents to average $500 per week.Auckland sets the rental market prices so we can expect the rest of the country to face large increases in rents.Taxpayers will pay more in subsidies to private landlords,the $1.3 BILLION paid at present will only increase substantially in the coming months.The New Zealand taxpayer is entitled to know that their contribution to housing,is supporting decent affordable housing that is fit for purpose,this is where a Warrant of Fitness would provide evidence that taxpayers were getting value for their contribution to private landlords.It could also act as a reference for the landlord that the tenants were dealing with a professional landlord who respected their right to decent,affordable rental accommodation. These ideals in the rental market will happen at some future date,it is up to tenants to insist that they get value for their rent money.
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