‘Unruly’ tenants cause havoc

Threats, intimidation and violence has turned a ‘lovely, quiet’ Hastings neighbourhood to ‘feral’, and residents have had enough.

TThere is constant noise, partying, swearing. Rachelle, Akina neighbour

hreats, intimidation and violence from Mongrel Mob members and their associates have 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. “Pretty much overnight it changed. It [the house next door] went from a lovely, tidy house to rubbish . . . nice to feral, overnight. “There is constant noise, partying, swearing, skids on the front lawn. [They] treat it like a halfway house. “I’ve never seen police on our street before. They are now a weekly occurrence.” Rachelle says she has called and complained to HNZ 12 times since December, and emailed it a couple of times, but says she feels as if 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. “HNZ have been trying to help I guess by talking to our neighbour but the neighbour basically ignores them and so they keep talking to her. “They say there is a process, which I get, but in the meantime we have to live with the gang members, intimidation and noise every day.” She has called the police regarding her neighbour on five separate occasions, as well as noise control. Rachelle said 10 homeowners and fellow neighbours had signed a petition, emailed to HNZ, to get the “disruptive” tenants out. She never received a response from the organisation to the petition, she said. Another neighbour said he had to call the police at least twice after witnessing violent behaviour from the HNZ tenant and her possible partner. “I have rung cops at least twice after seeing them have fist fights etc. [I have seen them] smashing each other, pulling each others’ hair, throwing each other inside.” He said he was also offered drugs at one point. “I was working in the garden and they just yelled at me and asked me if I wanted to buy drugs. I just ignored them.” Rachelle has owned her house for two years but is thinking of selling up if things don’t change. “We were planning on staying in this house for 10 years but if this goes on we will sell up even though it comes at a financial cost.” She has had to build a fence as a safety measure and to avoid feeling intimidated. “We have got a 1.8m high fence. I can now go to my letterbox without feeling intimidated. “HNZ paid for half. It was still $1200, which is not huge, but we could have spent it on other stuff.” Rachelle is worried that HNZ would put someone similar in once the current tenants move out. “I know people have a right to have dry, good homes but not if they abuse the right.” Housing New Zealand’s area manager, Andrew Cairns, said it housed those most in need of a home to help them live their lives in “good and bad times”. If it became aware of any issues Housing NZ would take action to help resolve them. There was an expectation that tenants be responsible, considerate and law-abiding, Cairns said. “Where significant issues occur that may break laws or bylaws, there are the appropriate authorities such as police or councils to deal with them. If someone suspects illegal or criminal behaviour or activity they should contact police.” Cairns said as a public housing landlord HNZ’s role was to provide homes for the people in the greatest need. Police said they could not comment on whether they had been called out to the property.