According to a recent Stuff article, concerns among tenants include rental affordability, security of tenure, healthy living conditions, compliance, and issues related to non-tenant tenants.
With the election year underway, various political parties are making promises to address landlord concerns if elected later this year. However, some of these promises are causing apprehension among tenants.
It's essential to recognise that tenants play a vital role in the rental market, and certain policies that landlords have expressed dissatisfaction with were actually designed to benefit tenants.
Rental affordability
Concerns regarding the cost of living and the ability to make ends meet were widespread, with a major factor being the soaring rent prices. While the rise in interest rates posed challenges for landlords, some tenants can experience unreasonable rent hikes that went beyond covering the landlords' expenses.
Renters United has been advocating for rental indexation, which would limit rent increases to the rate of inflation but allow larger increases in cases where significant property improvements were made. This approach aims to strike a balance between fair rent adjustments and acknowledging landlords' investments in enhancing their properties.
Many individuals are frustrated with certain landlords who feel entitled to raise rents on homes afflicted with issues like dampness and mould, even after the tenants have repeatedly requested repairs like draught stopping, which have unfortunately been ignored. The problem isn’t only rents though; it's supply. More housing makes renting and buying more affordable for most New Zealanders, but at the moment, there are some parts of the country where it is almost impossible to rent a property.
And according to Stats NZ, landlords are now asking tenants to pay $50 more a week on average compared to last year.
Security of tenure
The primary worry for tenants is the assurance that their tenancies won't be terminated without valid reasons, and this concern has resurfaced due to the declarations made by the National and ACT parties to reintroduce "no-cause" termination notices if elected later this year.
Receiving a termination notice without any valid reason can be perceived as discriminatory, which is why the government had removed the ability to issue such notices during the tenancy law reforms. Reinstating this practice would diminish renters' sense of security in their homes.
Healthy homes
Despite the implementation of the Healthy Homes Standards, cold, damp, and mouldy homes remains a concern. This situation has left tenants feeling anxious, especially due to the ambiguity surrounding compliance with the standards, which allows for different interpretations. It is not uncommon for two different inspection companies to provide contrasting reports about the same property.
The issue partly lies in the standards themselves. While there are clear guidelines regarding insulation, the criteria for drainage and draughts are less defined, leading to confusion for both tenants and landlords alike.
Tenants have become more proactive in demanding compliance and are not hesitant to approach the Tenancy Tribunal when they encounter problems, even if some of their claims may be unreasonable.
A particular worry for tenants is condensation, leading to frequent enquiries about HRV systems or showerdomes. However, it's worth noting that these additions are not mandatory under the current standards.
Ensuring compliance
The technical process of ensuring a property was compliant was not something a tenant should have to deal with. Nor is it a tenants’ responsibility to chase things up, complain, and fight for their right for a decent home to live in.
This is why getting legislation on the regulation of property managers through parliament was important, and why it would be useful for self-managing landlords to be regulated too.
If you are going to be a landlord, you are providing a social service. There is a social contract, and landlords need to know what they have to do and do it correctly.
Non-tenant tenants
In New Zealand, a considerable portion of the population rent homes but are not officially considered as "tenants." This category includes private boarders and renters who reside with the homeowner or landlord. Regrettably, these individuals are not afforded the protection or coverage offered by the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), and often remain unaware of this fact until a dispute arises.
For instance, when they wish to vacate a property, they might encounter difficulties in reclaiming their bond, or in some cases, problematic occupants may refuse to leave despite causing disruptions. This predicament presents a significant challenge since there is no established legal framework to address these living arrangements and the realities that people face in their different living situations today.
