Couple accused of rent scam
Hamilton landlords say a couple are racking up rent debts, then moving on, leaving them $20,000 in the red
By NIKKI PRESTON - Waikato Times | Saturday, 07 February 2009
Landlords claim a Hamilton couple have hoodwinked them out of more than $20,000.
Property owners say James and Kirsten Cullen have for more than a year moved from house to house in Flagstaff and Rototuna without paying rent or bond.
They say by the time they realise they are being ripped off, and follow tenancy laws to remove the couple, they have been left footing a bill anywhere between $2000 and $8000.
The Waikato Times spoke to five landlords who said they had been hit by the duo in the past year and were in various stages of laying complaints about the Cullens with the Tenancy Tribunal. They wanted to warn other landlords. The Times was unable to reach the Cullens for comment.
Dairy farmers Shay Landon and Mark Ingram were the Cullens' last landlords. They say they were left more than $3500 out-of-pocket on their Woodridge property. The couple moved in on December 19 and failed to pay rent or bond.
Ms Landon said that they had been more relaxed than usual about getting the bond before handing over the keys, but believed the couple when they said they had transferred the bond and rent. Checks have since proved their references were fake.
The Cullens left the house this week after police were called. Ms Landon is doubtful they will see the money owed. Other landlords who have been victims of the pair have written the money off.
One landlord, who did not want to be named, claims to be owed more than $7000 for four months' rent for a property in Cairns Cres. It is alleged before that the Cullens rented another house on the same street and failed to pay $6700 for five months' rent.
Lodge Real Estate business development manager David Kneebone said his company had been asked by a property owner, who had organised the tenancy privately, to help evict the Cullens from the Cairns Cres property after they had failed to pay rent.
Mr Kneebone said the Tenancy Tribunal was almost protecting the Cullens.
Prior to the Cairns Cres properties, the couple lived at Paul and Claire Grant's property on Gallery Grove, in Flagstaff, and then Alex Terris' house in Whitford Pl, Rototuna. The owners say they were evicted from both for not paying rent.
Mr Grant, who started a process with the Tenancy Tribunal in May 2008, said the Cullens owed him $2975.
Trevor Skilton, who was looking after the Whitford Pl property for his daughter and son-in-law in Australia, said the couple seemed to know their rights.
"They are pretty expert at what they do. They moved on voluntarily rather than be made to do it by the law," he said.
In 2008, Hamilton landlords lodged 3087 cases with the Tenancy Tribunal and there were 75,000 cases nationally. Most related to rent.
In January 2009, 343 claims were lodged against tenants by landlords in Hamilton, compared to 304 in January 2008.
Department of Housing and Building client services manager Jeff Montgomery said landlords should protect themselves by asking for proof of identification, carrying out reference and credit checks and also checking whether the tenant has had any other complaints lodged against them on the Tenancy Tribunal website.
"Landlords really need to wise up. There's nothing we can do about repeat offenders."
Hamilton landlords say a couple are racking up rent debts, then moving on, leaving them $20,000 in the red
By NIKKI PRESTON - Waikato Times | Saturday, 07 February 2009
Landlords claim a Hamilton couple have hoodwinked them out of more than $20,000.
Property owners say James and Kirsten Cullen have for more than a year moved from house to house in Flagstaff and Rototuna without paying rent or bond.
They say by the time they realise they are being ripped off, and follow tenancy laws to remove the couple, they have been left footing a bill anywhere between $2000 and $8000.
The Waikato Times spoke to five landlords who said they had been hit by the duo in the past year and were in various stages of laying complaints about the Cullens with the Tenancy Tribunal. They wanted to warn other landlords. The Times was unable to reach the Cullens for comment.
Dairy farmers Shay Landon and Mark Ingram were the Cullens' last landlords. They say they were left more than $3500 out-of-pocket on their Woodridge property. The couple moved in on December 19 and failed to pay rent or bond.
Ms Landon said that they had been more relaxed than usual about getting the bond before handing over the keys, but believed the couple when they said they had transferred the bond and rent. Checks have since proved their references were fake.
The Cullens left the house this week after police were called. Ms Landon is doubtful they will see the money owed. Other landlords who have been victims of the pair have written the money off.
One landlord, who did not want to be named, claims to be owed more than $7000 for four months' rent for a property in Cairns Cres. It is alleged before that the Cullens rented another house on the same street and failed to pay $6700 for five months' rent.
Lodge Real Estate business development manager David Kneebone said his company had been asked by a property owner, who had organised the tenancy privately, to help evict the Cullens from the Cairns Cres property after they had failed to pay rent.
Mr Kneebone said the Tenancy Tribunal was almost protecting the Cullens.
Prior to the Cairns Cres properties, the couple lived at Paul and Claire Grant's property on Gallery Grove, in Flagstaff, and then Alex Terris' house in Whitford Pl, Rototuna. The owners say they were evicted from both for not paying rent.
Mr Grant, who started a process with the Tenancy Tribunal in May 2008, said the Cullens owed him $2975.
Trevor Skilton, who was looking after the Whitford Pl property for his daughter and son-in-law in Australia, said the couple seemed to know their rights.
"They are pretty expert at what they do. They moved on voluntarily rather than be made to do it by the law," he said.
In 2008, Hamilton landlords lodged 3087 cases with the Tenancy Tribunal and there were 75,000 cases nationally. Most related to rent.
In January 2009, 343 claims were lodged against tenants by landlords in Hamilton, compared to 304 in January 2008.
Department of Housing and Building client services manager Jeff Montgomery said landlords should protect themselves by asking for proof of identification, carrying out reference and credit checks and also checking whether the tenant has had any other complaints lodged against them on the Tenancy Tribunal website.
"Landlords really need to wise up. There's nothing we can do about repeat offenders."
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