October 24th 2017.

                              The general election has seen the end of the National led government's  old complacent attitude's when it comes to housing. The housing crisis will get the attention it needs and deserves.

                                The selling of state housing to private interests has been destructive to the rental market,rents just keep increasing and properties are not fit for purpose in many cases. The invisible hand of the market has failed to deliver the promised cheaper rents and choice.Under the National led government's watch,the life blood has been slowly drained out of state housing and many tenants have paid a high price with homelessness for many.They can not be trusted to look after the less fortunate  among us.There are benchmarks  by which  a civil society measures itself,basic housing healthcare and an effective social security net,when there is not we all pay the price.

                              The incoming government has a regeneration plan to rebuild the state housing system and to improve tenants rights in security of tenure as well as other problems in the rental market.It should be noted that there are more tenants today than at anytime in our history,tenants and affordable housing are used to being ignored so lets hope that there will now be more of a balance in the rental market for all.

                               Overseas, there is a lot of interesting stuff happening ,countries like Finland have fewer homeless tenants than many other developed countries.Their government can build a home for around $60,000 they are an improved version of a prefab that look really cool,we can do that over here.Central government will have to lead the way forward as the market is only interested in profits.

                                The new government must put housing on the top of its agenda so all New Zealanders have a place to call home,which is essential for a stable society.

                                                   

                              

October 13th 2017.

                              Just to continue on the subject of property managers having to be licensed.Billions of dollars of rental properties are in the hands of property management companies,yet to the present time they have no rules governing their business practices.Calls for its inclusion in rules for real estate agents were rejected by the National Government in the early 1990's.Despite the fact that more New Zealanders are in the rental market,today there are more renters than home owners.               

                              So no one is keeping an eye out for complaints from about property managers behaviour  from those seeking accommodation.Regulation of property managers is the norm in most other developed countries in the world,overseas property managers have to be licensed and meet minimum qualification requirements.But in New Zealand it is the wild west,cowboy country.

                               Here in New Zealand property managers have total power and control over those seeking accommodation. They require a letter from your employer or WINZ,you require a drivers licence or passport for ID,they want your car registration number,credit  checks are also a required. On some tenancy agreements methampetamine tests can be conducted,even though this is still to be approved by the justice system at present.The Manawatu Tenants Union is of the opinion that landlords should make sure that their rental is free from P and safe to be lived in by tenants,they should be tested if required after every tenancy. 

                            It should be noted that tenants know nothing of their landlord or the property managers character,being licensed would help readdress the imbalance in this business relationship.This imbalance will happen as renters demand a fairer  system when seeking rental accommodation all it will take is the political will from central government.

   

October 11th 2017.

Now that the elections are out of the way and we are waiting to find out the make up of the next government,housing will be high on the list.

The idea of a " property-owning democracy " the backbone of the center right parties,is for many a thing of the past,and it isn't coming back.Many young people are more than likely to be working in poverty and they are less able to buy a home.They rent instead from people who enjoyed a much better deal than them,in fact they have been burdened with more debt than their parents.

The unspoken pact between generations '' that each should be better than the last has been destroyed by the embrace of free market polices.''

The Manawatu Tenants Union is still working away to have property managers licensed to operate a rental letting business,in all other developed countries this is the case,New Zealand being the exception where anything goes.A licencing system would give tenants the knowledge that they are dealing with people of good character based on the fact that they are licensed to rent accommodation.

At present we are interested in hearing about landlords who offer housing in poor condition and are slow to do repairs to the rental property.They charge market rents for housing that is not fit for purpose,so ring the MTU if you have issues with bad landlords as we run a hot and cold file on landlords and property agencies that don't play the game. 

Manawatu Tenants Union    06 3577435  Anytime 

We are based in the Community House in King Street.

October  5th 2017

International Tenants Day.

The first Monday in October has been designated as International Tenants Day.This year the head office in Stockholm has particular emphasis on fire regulations and fire safety.This choice was brought home by the devastating and tragic fire in Grenfell Tower in West London.

The Manawatu Tenants Union along with the New Zealand Fire Service arranged a stall in the City Library to highlight fire safety in the home.It was an excellent opportunity to deliver our message along with The New Zealand Fire Service on the dangers of fire in the home.It was viewed  by a number of people and we would like to say thanks to the library staff who assisted with our small exhibition.

The background to the International Tenants Day dates back to 1986 when the decision was made to designate the first Monday in October to highlight issues facing tenants around the world.

Here in New Zealand there are not many tower blocks around the country like Grenfell Tower,some high rise blocks are in Auckland and are tenanted mostly by International students.

Most families are living in ground level housing,but no one has security of tenure,they face rising rents and are at the wrong end of the housing ladder,in the present housing crisis.The present National led government are ideological not in favour of providing state housing,this is the wrong move in trying to house desperate families looking for affordable housing.Now with the election out of the way and with the Labour Party pushing the present administration to the left on housing issues,something will change and rental housing gets the attention it deserves.