‘Swamp house’ whistle blowers evicted
A family living in an Auckland “undrained swamp house” are being evicted after going public about the insanitary living conditions.
Dawn Robbie, her partner Cameron and their two young children have been living for the past 21 months in a rental house that floods underneath every time it rains.
Robbie said as a result the house was damp, cold and making her family sick.
Manurewa-Papakura Ward councillor Daniel Newman highlighted their case with Auckland Council, labelling the house “an undrained swamp, unhealthy . . . mosquito infested, prone to flooding and unworthy of the $520 weekly rent”.
The council investigated and issued an insanitary notice on August 31 — giving landlord Aven Raj 10 days to resolve the property’s issues or face a $200,000 fine and an extra $20,000 each day the issues remained.
Robbie told the that five days later on September 4, they were given a 90-day eviction notice by the property manager. “[The property manager] actually called up earlier that day to introduce herself. She said nothing about the eviction notice.”
Robbie said they received the notice via email, without giving a reason. “We were pretty upset, we didn’t see it coming. We just wanted the issues to be fixed. We didn’t want to have to leave our home.”
Since the council’s insanitary notice was issued Robbie said the drainage issues at the property had been fixed.
“Workers came around and put a pipe in under the house. All of the water has been drained, it is dry and they have put in polystyrene insulation.”
Auckland Council visited the property on Tuesday and lifted the notice, Robbie said.
Robbie and her young family have applied for several rentals so far but are having some issues given the high profile of their case, and finding a place that would accept their dog.
Tenancy Services, part of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, was taking a case against their landlord on their behalf.