Manawatu Tenants Union
August 18th 2017
Another issue I forgot to mention yesterday in reviewing The Residential Tenancies Act is the need for landlords to put on the tenancy agreement that the property has insulation.Out of interest New Zealand has the coldest housing in the western world and has had this statistic for sometime
The sheer scale of the housing crisis is now starting to hit home to our politicians as the election draws closer,in some ways it highlights just how out of touch government members are with the realities of the crisis.
They have not been paying attention for quite sometime.
August 17th.2017
The Residential Tenancies Act needs to change to reflect the new realities of renting in New Zealand to-day.Generation Rent is with us and will be continue to be a strong presence being felt every where around the country as the housing crisis continues unabated.
One area of concern is when a tenant dies, the remaining tenant may be evicted on the grounds that they never signed the tenancy agreement,even if they were married and had shared the home for years.The same situation applies if a partner dies,its a draconian law that needs to go,on humanitarian grounds,its just not fair to the remaining tenant.
Pets are another issue that has become an issue for long term tenants,both HNZ and Private Landlords have strict policies towards tenants pets,it is a no go area for the vast majority of tenants.A bond could be charged to the the tenant to cover any damage to the property and be refunded back when the tenancy is ended and is left in a reasonable condition.It is a simple solution for all concerned,pets have been acknowledged as good for tenants physical and mental well being.We would encourage all landlords to consider the benefits to their tenants of such a clause in their tenancy agreements.Local Authorities could set the benchmark with their housing portfolio by allowing tenants to have a pet,it should be noted that this policy could be done on a case by case basis.It should that the majority of tenants don't have pets.
The relationship between tenant and pr tooperty managers would be improved,if all property managers were licensed and had a code of practice.At present anyone can operate as a property manager without any qualifications what so ever,and they have real power and control over tenants lives and can evict them without any reason.The law needs some balance for both parties,not just property managers.
All landlords should be required to have their properties tested for P before a tenant moves in and it should be written into the tenancy agreement,so tenants know that the property is safe to occupy for them and their families.
There is a real need for these suggested changes to be reviewed as New Zealand has started to develop a rental culture and this culture,is the future for an up and coming generation of New Zealanders.
August 14th 2017.
Very interesting e/mail Dr. Elinor Chisholm,on should landlords to a bond to cover maintenance costs.
The Manawatu Tenants Union has always held the view that landlords should have a contingency fund to cover unexpected maintenance costs,it is good practice.
Many landlords are slow to make repairs,for their tenants,it usually ends up in the Tenancy Tribunal,for a work order to have the repairs done.In the present rental climate,,tenants take what housing they can afford even if the property is in poor condition. Tenants should always take photos with their phone and save them as it may be needed when proof is required about property damage that was there when they moved in.
Jennifer Duke,has come up with a solution to fix this issue with a mandatory sum of money provided by landlords as "sinking fund" for maintenance or a bond paid by the investor.
Property managers would have the ability to tap into this fund as needed to fix reasonable repairs,without being delayed by the landlord.this would see maintenance done in a timely manner. New Zealand now has a renting culture and rights for tenants have to improve, for all involved in the supporting the cornerstone of family life decent housing.
August 10th 2017
Some more information on the housing crisis griping the country at present.
This information comes from Child Poverty Action Group,and the latest Household Income Report.It states that families are suffering under the strain of housing costs,with half of all accommodation supplement recipients spending half of their incomes on rental costs.Seven per cent of all children [75,000] living in homes that experience issues with dampness and mould,and are hard to keep warm.
The statements also supports a newly elected government to introduce policies to increase the supply of state houses,and introduce a system of regulating conditions for all rental housing.Something that The Manawatu Tenants Union has been pushing for since 1996 a warrant of fitness so that housing is fit for purpose,it will happen one day as New Zealand now has a culture of renting whither the government likes it or not.
The work for housing improvements has just begun as there will be generations who will always rent their homes,we have to improve tenants rights and obligations for all concerned in the wider community.
Support the political party that supports these ideals and give them your vote ,your vote is a powerful weapon in the fight for a better society for all New Zealanders.
August 9th 2017
Scoop media and Public Engagement Projects have published a report concerning what New Zealanders think about affordable housing. As we know the debate concerning housing affordability is dominated by comments from politicians and the media,ordinary citizens have had very few avenues to express an opinion on housing affordability until now.
A large number of the participants agreed on a range of other aspects of the affordable housing market.There were some who believed that the free market approach would deliver affordable housing,it should be noted that the free market has never delivered affordable rents ,full stop.
Here is a snapshot of the areas of agreement.
85% believe that central government has a responsibility for building and owning a large portfolio of houses.
73% supported a role for Maori and community groups to provide affordable,emergency housing along with social housing.
91% agreed that greater provision is needed for emergency housing and more social housing, not just a push to highlight home ownership which is never going to happen for the majority of citizens who have been forced to become lifetime renters.
87% of participants do not believe that a $500.000 house is an affordable home.
Participants in the survey included a wide range of people some were home owners,renters and property investors.They said that to solve the housing crisis requires leadership and long term commitment to solutions along with a non-partisan political agreement to house New Zealanders today and into the future.A political will is required from all parties to do the job.
Tenants have the power to start the first steps in rebuilding a broken housing system by making your vote count to restore fairness for all who call New Zealand home.
August 8th Homeless report.
In the upcoming Census 2018 for the first time,everyone will be asked,if their homes are damp and moldy.It will be interesting to see what measures they use to define damp and moldy?
In another survey from Al jazeera [TV] they highlighted the serious housing crisis in New Zealand today.Once upon a time,New Zealand lead the developed world and was a pioneer in providing decent affordable housing for its people [Housing New Zealand].State housing was a platform for assisting with first home ownership through a number of state grants [State Advances --Housing Corp. loans--Capitalization of benefits ] they provided New Zealand with the highest home ownership rates in the developed world at the time.The grants were wiped with the stroke of a pen by then National Minister of Housing John Luxton.
The survey stated just how far the government has failed to deliver decent affordable housing to its people,they have a lot to answer for.The National led governments have a belief that the free market is best placed to deliver rental housing,this belief is embedded into their soul.The fact as can be seen today,is that the market has failed to deliver for so many working and low income New Zealanders,who are now the majority of renters in the country.
The housing crisis created by the government is a disgrace,The homelessness being experienced by many families is not going to go away anytime soon.
If things are to change for the common good,make sure you vote in the up coming general election,make a change for your children and grandchildren so they can have the opportunity to live in decent affordable housing.
Your vote and every ones vote is important for change to happen,stand up for what you believe in and what's right for your community,make sure you vote,OK its that important.
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