The verdicts are in. 218-1 The Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill a bad piece of legislation and it is in dire need of being saved if it ever
stands a chance at doing any good.
The brief, the government intends for 218-1 to achieve the following objectives:
- Improve security of tenure;
- Empower tenants within their rented homes, the rental market and the rental system; and
- Modernise renting in New Zealand
We are agreeable to some of the proposed changes. Rent bidding shouldn’t be an acceptable practice. Limiting rent increases to once a year is not something
landlords lose sleep over. Other changes, however, are quite another story. In fact, we are so vehemently against them that we see no pathway forward
but for the government to go back to the drawing board by either withdrawing 218-1 altogether or effect a wholesome re-write. More specifically, changes
relating to the landlord’s ability to terminate and diminished control over fixed-term tenancies are so sweeping that not only do they offend the fundamental
principle of fairness, they will also shift landlords’ risk profile in such a way as to lead to significant changes in business practice and ultimately,
distortion in the rental market. Will it increase security or tenure? No. Without the security of tenure, any talk of empowerment within the rented
home and rental system would be entirely meaningless.
landlords lose sleep over. Other changes, however, are quite another story. In fact, we are so vehemently against them that we see no pathway forward
but for the government to go back to the drawing board by either withdrawing 218-1 altogether or effect a wholesome re-write. More specifically, changes
relating to the landlord’s ability to terminate and diminished control over fixed-term tenancies are so sweeping that not only do they offend the fundamental
principle of fairness, they will also shift landlords’ risk profile in such a way as to lead to significant changes in business practice and ultimately,
distortion in the rental market. Will it increase security or tenure? No. Without the security of tenure, any talk of empowerment within the rented
home and rental system would be entirely meaningless.
The good news is, the 218-8 need not be bad. There is a window. The 82% of New Zealanders who object to 218-1 have until midnight Wednesday the 25th of
March 2020 to make a submission against the Bill. If you disagree with 218-1, if you are angered by it, if you are concerned...
