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.