IMPACTS FOR LANDLORDS
REMOVING 90 DAYS NOTICE
Being a successful landlord is all about managing RISK.
Removing 90 days notice is a bombshell for landlords that will cause many to get out of renting, resulting in a large rental shortage.
A landlord's choice of tenant is the single most important decision they make. This risk is multiplied if the landlord can no longer give a no-cause 90 days notice.
IF LANDLORDS ARE UNABLE TO GIVE 90 DAYS NOTICE:
RESULTING ECONOMIC IMPACTS
IMPACTS FOR NEIGHBOURS AND NEIGHBOURHOODS
REMOVING 90 DAYS NOTICE
New Plymouth: Suff- April 2019: On Saturday a 20-year-old man was shot in the arm in an early morning dispute at a Housing New Zealand
New Plymouth: Suff- April 2019: On Saturday a 20-year-old man was shot in the arm in an early morning dispute at a Housing New Zealand property at Plympton St, Brooklands, New Plymouth. Neighbours have made multiple complaints about gang related activity, drug dealing, loud parties, problematic behaviour, arguments, intimidation and large numbers of people coming and going from the house to HNZ, but say nothing has been done to rectify the situation. National Party MP Jonathan Young believes there is a direct correlation between the anti-social behaviour and the Government's "no eviction" policy, and good people were being put under considerable stress. Phil Twyford states: "That's why Housing NZ takes a 'sustaining tenancies' approach which involves taking all reasonable steps to support tenants and their families to stay in their homes for as long as they need them. Eviction is a last resort."
Hawkes Bay: 11 Feb 2019: Hawkes Bay Today: Threats, intimidation and violence from Mongrel Mob members and their associates has turned a "lovely, quiet" Hastings neighbourhood to "feral", and residents have had enough. Rachelle owns a house next door to a Housing New Zealand (HNZ) property in Akina, Hastings, which got new tenants about four months ago. Frequent visits from gang members, smashed cars on the front lawn, noise and violence have now become the new norm for her. "Our street was a lovely, quiet, safe street," Rachelle said. Rachelle has called and complained to HNZ 12 times since December, and emailed them a couple of times, but feels like she isn't being heard. "I keep getting told to ring the police or noise control because there is nothing Housing New Zealand can do.
Contd: Hawkes Bay 22 March 2019: Herald Housing New Zealand didn't evict anyone in Hawke's Bay in 2018, despite 578 complaints about the anti-social behaviour of its tenants. Property condition and damage resulted in 160 complaints; there were 50 alleged illegal activity complaints, 43 alleged threat complaints, and 30 dog nuisance complaints. HNZ declined a request to specify whether any of the total complaints were gang-related.
Motueka: October 2018: A Motueka resident is questioning Housing New Zealand's tenant policy after years of dealing with an abusive neighbour. The Motueka woman, who asked to stay anonymous for fear of retribution, has lived in her social housing property for more than a decade. Along with other neighbours, she's repeatedly rung the police, Housing New Zealand and Oranga Tamariki. But after years of reporting the neglect, the abuse and bad behaviour to every agency she can think of, she's all but given up.
Contd: Motueka: November 2018 – 'Incredible' change to troubled Motueka neighbourhood after tenant moves. For the past three years, residents on York St in Motueka had complained of loud parties into the early hours, abusive language towards children at the address, and verbal abuse to passersby from a Housing New Zealand tenant in the neighbourhood. The matter came to a head at the end of September, when the street was the scene of a hit and run incident which put two people in hospital. A York St resident, who did not want to be named, said the change in the neighbourhood after the tenant moved out had been "incredible".
"It's amazing, the street is back to exactly what it was. The kids have come back out again, parents are letting their kids ride their bikes and scooters on the street.
"All of that had gone, because of this situation created by this one neighbour."
Christchurch: Stuff – 2019. A Christchurch man who believes a Housing New Zealand (HNZ) property nearby is a drug house is frustrated no agency will act. The Northcote resident told Stuff columnist Mike Yardley he estimated about 20 to 25 drug deals were happening at the house every day, and one day he noted 39. Complaints about HNZ homes are nothing new, with issues raised about its management of homes, while other neighbours have complained about being driven out by burglaries, assaults and public defecation. Homeowners from across Christchurch have come forward after Stuff published details of repeated break-ins, brawls and faeces smeared on cars near a Housing New Zealand (HNZ) complex in the central suburb of Phillipstown, to report similar problems with tenants in other Government-owned properties.
One man claimed a neighbour had raised a running lawnmower to his face and another had dealt drugs from a flat for several years.
Christchurch: August 2019: A Christchurch Housing New Zealand (HNZ) tenant says she has endured attacks and threats from neighbours, but agencies have taken no action. The woman moved into the unit in December, she has a 4-year-old daughter. Instead of finding a safe haven, the woman says she has become victim to tenants from a neighbouring property in the complex. "My wee girl doesn't want to leave the house. She's terrified."
IMPACTS FOR TENANTS
REMOVING 90 DAYS NOTICE
Removing the landlord's right to give notice, and Labour calling it "sustaining tenancies" will not help tenants at all. It will make things much worse for tenants.
At present: Only 1.4% of all tenancies are ended (for tenant anti social behaviour) by a landlord giving 90 days notice. (NZPIF research)
NEIGHBOURING TENANTS
IMPACTS FOR THE TENANCY TRIBUNAL
REMOVING 90 DAYS NOTICE
AS A RESULT OF THE PROPOSALS:
