‘Can’t afford to move, or stay’
Whanganui solo mother-of-two Tina Miller has a problem.
She gets $384 a week in social welfare payments. But her rent is going up from $300 a week to $360.
Miller said she was already receiving the maximum, including the accommodation supplement, that she was entitled to from Work and Income. But she’ll be left with less than $30 from that to get by on once the bill is paid.
She also receives $200 in Working for Families credits from Inland Revenue.
She has been in her threebedroom Whanganui home since early 2017.
But when she moved in, she realised something was wrong: Her first two power bills were $600 and $700 a month.
After some investigation, she discovered the hot water cylinder had a serious leak. While paying those bills, she fell behind in her rent and had to sell her car.
Miller said she ended up up to date with the rent, but not a week in advance, as she was required to be.
A new property manager took over the property and told her she had to pay what was owing.
Miller offered to do so at $20 a week but was told that was insufficient. At the Tenancy Tribunal mediation, they agreed she would pay $30 a week to clear the $240 owing.
But shortly afterwards, she received notice that her rent was going up from $300 a week to $330, so the total she had to pay until arrears were cleared was $360 a week.
She was told the increase was because of improvements made to the property, the amount of time she had lived there, and value of the house.
‘‘It seems to me like more than a coincidence – I can’t afford to move out but I can’t afford to stay, either,’’ Miller said.
‘‘I have a son with Asperger’s, I’m a recovering anorexic, I have bad anxiety and OCD and my health has taken a huge dive backwards.’’
She does not qualify for any temporary additional support.
‘‘I’m now paying an extra $60 a week and there’s nothing Work and Income can do to help. I definitely think it needs to be looked at.
‘‘So many people are saying the same thing – rents are going up but nothing else is.’’
Miller will take in a boarder to help. ‘‘But I don’t want to; I’m a solo mum to two teenage boys. I worked really hard to get this house and this is where things are supposed to smooth out for us so my kids can go to college with no stress or worries.’’
Property Brokers Whanganui regional rentals manager Richard Bellinger said the market rent in the area had been rising for the past year. He said Miller’s property had a market rent of $360 a week.
‘‘The choice to increase her rent was done in consultation with the the market owner of the property, to $330 per week.’’
Robert Whitaker, of advocacy group Renters United, said the Residential Tenancies Act gave landlord ‘‘carte blanche’’ to increase rents.
‘‘Even where they are excessive as defined by the law tenants are required to prove it, rather than the landlord being required to prove the increase is reasonable,’’ he said.
‘‘Practically speaking, this is almost impossible. This needs to change if we are to address the continued out of control rent inflation we are seeing around the country, but particularly in Wellington, Auckland, Tauranga and Queenstown.’’
Tenancy.co.nz consultant Scotney Williams said rents could be increased every six months, with 60 days’ written notice.
‘‘The $30 a week to pay off the debt is excluded from this equation, even though it could be perceived that they’re linked.’’
Miller said she had since received offers of help and money from those who had heard about her story. ‘‘I haven’t accepted anything as I’m just trying to raise awareness about some houses not being worth the price rises.’’