HNZ moves house to BNZ

Earthquake safety standards will remove yet another essential service from the Canopies retail space.

Housing New Zealand will move 35 staff to the ninth floor of the BNZ building, 14 Hartham Pl North, on February 25.

They presently work out of 7 Lydney Pl South, opposite ACC.

Ninety-five Housing New Zealand staff are already based in the BNZ building, which meets the agency’s earthquake requirements of 67 per cent of the building code.

Porirua’s PostShop and Kiwibank moved last month to the MegaCentre after 44 years at 3 Serlby Pl, also because of earthquake safety requirements.

Mana MP Kris Faafoi says Housing New Zealand’s move will lead to scores of confused people turning up on his electorate office doorstep looking for advice.

‘‘They’ll find it easier to get to my office than the ninth floor of the BNZ building,’’ he says.

‘‘ The BNZ building is not a place you’d expect to go to for Housing New Zealand appointments.’’

Mr Faafoi already gets plenty of visits from those who can’t get through to the agency’s 0800 number, its preferred method of contact from clients.

‘‘We’re getting a steady stream of people who are contacting the number and not getting the support they need,’’ he says.

Like the PostShop move, few people know Housing New Zealand will be moving this month, Mr Faafoi says.

‘‘It’s an issue for people who know where it is and don’t know they’ve changed location. We want to make sure public servants are as safe as they can be but it’s certainly causing disruptions for their customers.’’

Housing New Zealand’s level of contact with clients will not change, says tenancy services manager Jackie Pivac.

‘‘Our tenants can continue to contact us anytime at our customer services centre. Tenancy managers are already mobile and spending around 70 per cent of their time out of the office visiting tenants,’’ she says.

‘‘We do not expect this move for staff safety reasons to result in any increases in visits to the local MP’s office.’’