Attack on landlords

I am one of the retiree landlords you refer to in your recent column on this subject (Tenancy changes go too far, January 19), and, having read the detail of the new regulations, I have come to the conclusion that they amount to an all-out attack on rental property owners.

And no, this will not be phased in over a period of years. Most of the regs take effect in February, with the second tranche due in August 2021.

Of particular concern is that the tenant can ‘assign’ the tenancy agreement to another person, and the landlord cannot ‘unreasonably’ withhold consent. The tenant must inform the landlord, but if the property owner requests a police background check of this mystery person they have to give consent.

The announcement was simply a rehash of the Budget 2020 announcement of an extra 8000 homes (6000 of them state houses) over the next five years.

Since Labour took office in 2017 the state house waiting list has more than quadrupled to over 22,000. It is increasing at a rate of over 5000 per year, but the Government is building only 1600 new state houses each year. In other words, the waiting list is increasing at three times the rate the Government is

If they refuse to do so, where does this leave the landlord? This is not covered in the regulation.

I could end up with a tenant who has a criminal record of which I am completely unaware.

In the event that the landlord, agent or family member is physically assaulted by the tenant, and police charges are laid, the tenant can be evicted by the Tenancy Tribunal only. The tenant can challenge the eviction, and the landlord has to provide evidence of the assault, so apparently the police charge isn’t enough.

In a similar vein, the Tenancy Tribunal can evict a tenant if there is criminal activity at the premises — read P lab or similar — but this again would require evidence, ie witness statements no doubt, so building state houses.

Ardern’s Government is going full steam backwards.

The last time we had a housing crisis this big, in the late 1940s, a Labour government built 10,000 state houses per year. Seventy-five years later Labour can only manage 1600 per year. Pitiful.

And the Government is still refusing to borrow the money for building state houses (it doesn’t want the debt on its books) but insists Kainga Ora borrow the money, at good luck with getting the nervous neighbours to step up in court.

As you point out in your editorial, there must be thousands of people in my situation who are just trying to top up their pension, and in this business it is all about getting and holding on to a good tenant. It usually involves some mutual back scratching, namely, I will keep the rent reasonable if you look after the property and pay the rent. So we both win.

However, these changes are going to completely change that equation There will now be many people who will be weighing their options and deciding whether it is worth taking the risk.

I could well be one of them.

Brian Page Tokerau Beach higher interest rates than the Government is able to do so.

Looking to iwi or social housing providers to help bridge the chasm is not an answer. Only the government has the capacity and the resources to deliver the industrialscale state house building programme the country needs.

The effect of Government inaction is to prioritise the interests of middle class landlords over struggling working class tenants. The 22,000 families in desperate need for state housing are being forced to stay in private sector rentals, and therefore keep pushing up rents, which the Government is subsidising to the tune of $2.6 billion per year.

Senseless and stupid.

John Minto State House Action Network Our melted bit

Once upon a time a large sun went bang, shooting melted bits into the orbit of our sun, and after they had cooled down a bit and spun into a ball shape they went into orbit and cooled off, and God did the rest.

After billions of years, and finally the appearance of man, who was a greedy animal who liked reproducing and knew it all and cut the forests, polluted the atmosphere and oceans, over-populated the planet, and was nasty to other tribes. He destroyed the balance of life supporting systems, causing climatic and pandemic reactions, and faces the possibility of extinction or a radical re-education and lifestyle change for humanity.

It doesn’t matter who or what your ancestors were, but generally they have created a mighty battle for human survival.

The most powerful nations on Earth are desperately trying to cope with a virus that thrives in an overpopulated society led by often public brain washing experts, ignorant of a screaming out for action from the scientific world. Nature is in the throes of extinction as animals and plants, corals and insects disappear. It’s not too late, but worldwide remedial action is urgently needed to preserve creation.

They asked Christ how it would all end, and what He saw coming sounds realistic. He saw it all over 2000 years ago. Being a dumb Christian, I believe the trumpet will eventually sound fulltime for rich and poor.

Sam McHarg

Kerikeri

Sleep easy

Like many, I sat in front of the TV watching the Biden inauguration, although in Australia it was at 4am. I know many Australians were watching this historic event, full of so many firsts, and it was great viewing.

This was an event of great pomp and ceremony, and the speech by now President Biden was, as expected, moving, even though the new youth poet laureate, Amanda Gorman, nearly stole the show. There was support from all his living predecessors, bar one infirm of age and one infirm of character. With the guidance of those who have been there, the journey ahead offers so much promise.

I could then return to bed knowing the nightmare was over and the dream of a better world was possible. Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne

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