March 22nd 2018.
Letting Fee's
At long last there is legislation being introduced to Parliament to ban letting fee's when seeking rental housing.This bill will bring New Zealand in line with many other similar countries around the world on the issue of letting fee's.The Manawatu Tenants Union has always spoken out for the removal letting fee's as it a service landlord's should be paying for.
At present tenants have to come up with 2 weeks rent in advance and in most cases 4 weeks bond plus connection fees for power.The present Government recognises that the ban will go a good way to assist struggling families in particular.It should be noted that the fee is 1 weeks rent plus GST. Every little bit helps when seeking affordable rental housing.
Here in Palmerston North to move into an average 3 bed roomed property it will set the tenants back at least $2,400 just to secure a property.So removing the letting fee will be of great help to those seeking affordable rental housing,so good on the present Government for assisting the increasing number of New Zealander's who have to rent their home for them and their children.
Lets hope that some form of regulation concerning property managers is not to far away,and it will assist in the balance of power and control that property managers have over their tenants lives.
