Rules ‘industrial strength hypocrisy’
The Government plans to regulate residential property managers and the treatment of methcontaminated houses, a move which it says will improve the lives of both renters and landlords.
In a suite of measures announced yesterday morning by Housing Minister Megan Woods, the Government also confirmed that Kainga Ora will not be required to meet the Healthy Homes compliance deadline by July 2023 as planned.
The Healthy Homes regulations, introduced by the Labour coalition Government in 2017, mandated heating and insulation requirements in rental properties to make dwellings healthier for tenants. Private landlords had to meet the requirements in July 2021 for all new or renewed leases, while the Government has now given its own house builder and landlord an extension until July 2024.
Only 68% of the state’s housing portfolio required to meet the standards currently complies, while work is being done on another 16% of the homes. The deadline for all private landlords to fulfil the rules has been pushed out from 2024 to 2025.
National’s Housing spokesperson Christopher Bishop has called the Government’s move to push back the Healthy Homes deadline ‘‘industrial strength hypocrisy from a government that simply can’t deliver when it comes to housing’’. ‘‘The vast majority of private sector landlords have done the right thing. They’ve complied with the rules. Now it turns out the Government can’t actually comply with their own rules.’’
‘‘These aren’t Healthy Homes standards, they’re double standards. Private landlords were expected to comply within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy from 1 July 2021. The Government has given itself years and still can’t get up to speed,’’ ACT’s Brooke van Velden said. Megan Woods said that Covid was to blame for pushing out the dates.
Residential property managers will also be regulated in a move that fulfils a Labour Party manifesto commitment in 2020.
Currently, the sector is not regulated – although property managers who are members of an industry association have to comply with industry standards – which the Government says can lead to inconsistent service for tenants and property owners.
About a third of New Zealand households live in rental houses , with about 40% of those properties looked after by property managers. Residential Property Managers Association chairman David Pearse said while they are all for the regulation of property managers, he was a bit shellshocked by the announcement. He said he got the release from a third party, and he was trying to find out more.
The new system will include compulsory registration and licencing for both individual property managers and the organisations, training and entry requirements, practice standards and a complaints and disciplinary process.
PROPERTY MANAGERS WANT MORE INFORMATION BUSINESS