WINZ and redirrection of rent

[Glenn]

I have a tenant who started 6 weeks ago. The property is not easy to let because the tenant has to share her kitchen, toilet and bathroom with others. Sort of a rent by the room deal.
Well desperate me found a lady who is on the Government methodone drug program who has a bad credit record.
I offer the place to her with the specified bond at 4 weeks (the maximum permitted) and rent to be paid by redirrection.
The AC power at this place is complicated in that the owner pays the account to the power company and I collect the money off the two tenants fed via the meter. Well all is well. WINZ pays all this heap of money to me ($1600) and gives the redirrection form to the tenant to get me to sign it.
First week comes around and instead of getting the rent and power money I just get the power money. The tenant starts paying the rent portion by either cash or bank transfer. As you can imagine it did not take long for a terrible thing to happen like her wallet is stolen along with her phone. She somehow manages to txt me on the stolen phone to tell me this.
Meanwhile apart from the lack of rent she is behaving well and looking after the house.
So I have lodged my application to the tribunal.

So forumites where to from here.
What do you think the outcome will be.
How would you force WINZ to stop being so difficult.
Do you think it is anti me or anti tenant.
Oh incidently WINZ did not come up with any more money for the stolen rent despite her having one of those forms from the Police saying she had reported it.

[drelly]

I find that suggesting to WINZ that their "client" will become homeless if the rent isn't paid, tends to make them more helpful. I "help" the "client" by supplying as many 10 day notices as they want.

[PC]

You wicked capitalist!

Surely you should be providing free accommodation to this poor
comrade until our great socialist leaders in Helengrad can provide
a suitable Housing NZ solution!?

[Glenn]

You wicked capitalist!

Surely you should be providing free accommodation to this poor
comrade until our great socialist leaders in Helengrad can provide
a suitable Housing NZ solution!?

What.
Get real.
HNZ will not have her.
She did not have any children when she came to me. So that would put her down the priority order.
They had all been taken away from her because she did not have a roof to put over their heads.
Also had you not noticed HNZ do credit checks on all applicants.
What is the purpose of a credit check if they do not discriminate against bad payers.

[Glenn]

Tribunal here I come again.

Ho hum fresh in again from this week's tribunal hearing and here is the letter / email about the mediation for Ms Methadone's mediation appointment. So lets see if the system for this sort of thing still works.
Surprising as it may seem with all of the applications I have been making to the tribunal (50 a year) it must be at least two years since I have had a scrap like this wanting WINZ to start up the redirrection for rent.
I wonder if the current mistress of housing Ms Steet still wants to ensure the sustainability of tenancies like her labour collegue the previous minister of housing.

[cube]

No, Ms Street wants Ms Methadone to move to the affordable housing in Hobsonville

[Glenn]

No, Ms Street wants Ms Methadone to move to the affordable housing in Hobsonville

Now that sounds like a good idea.
Could I send all of our addicts up to Auckland including the P variety.
Actually if I was feeling really bitchy I could put a few in along side Ms Housing mistress's house in The Wood in Nelson. I manage 50 properties at last count in that area.
If I run short on addicts (not very likely on that count) I could rustle up a few mistress's also.

[Glenis]

Surprising as it may seem with all of the applications I have been making to the tribunal (50 a year) it must be at least two years since I have had a scrap like this wanting WINZ to start up the redirrection for rent.
I wonder if the current mistress of housing Ms Steet still wants to ensure the sustainability of tenancies like her labour collegue the previous minister of housing.

You must be the tribunials best customer ! Is there a commission on that? (joking)

I manage 50 properties at last count in that area.

Sounds like you're a busy sort of fella and likely to be very knowledgeable. I might have to treat your comments with more reverence.

[Glenn]

No I am not the tribunals's best customer.
Housing NZ has that place of honour.
I get to see the Department of Housing statistics for the whole country.
These stats separate areas, reason for application (like rent or bond dispute, damage, and assult of landlord etc) and a special column for HNZ.
What they do not show is the amount of the claims and the collection rate. Actualy I doubt anyone has these figures.

Going on about WINZ and so forth.
I wonder how many of you saw the TV1 programme last night on the Nelson family that have been living in a tent for the last three months.
Maryann Street the minister of housing appeared and made a hash of the interview.
Two separate articles have appeared in the Nelson mail about the family giving both the tenants version and the last landlords view.
Apparently they had three dogs, very poor rent history, and bad housekeeping.
The Minister muttered about Housing NZ trying to help them then mentioned HNZ was trying to get the private sector to help.
Well why did she not mention that if the rent had been paid by redirrection the tenants would likely as not still be in the house.
The owner / landlord admitted his poor performance as a landlord re lack of inspections over two years.

I could house and manage a tenant like this if I had the rent by redirrection.
I am often successful in training tenants to adequately look after the property. Note I am not always successful and these tenants are shown the door just the same as HNZ does.

[Glenn]

Another letter to the editor about WINZ payments

Well I have penned off another letter to the editor of Nelson Mail. (daily newspaper) It has not been published yet but should be soon.
Here is what I have written

Sir,
I, like the rest of humanity do not like seeing families like Anita Peterson (Mail 5 March) being housed in a tent. I note that their previous landlord Rex Hebberd admits that his practices as a landlord need refinement. Finding the right property manager to do the job for him can easily solve his problems. He would learn a thing or two if he joined the Property Investors Association. Anita’s housing problem can be fixed by modifying her behaviour. Having dogs inside is even worse for the children’s health than living in a tent. It is not good for the house either. The Minister of Housing Mary-ann Street commented on TV1 about this family’s plight. She says HNZ do not have spare suitable houses and are looking to the private sector to house them. My phone is yet to ring. Why did she not offer to have the Government pay the rent by WINZ redirection of benefit? Why make the tenant and the landlord jump through hoops to get a facility that HNZ as of right has. Is there some Government agenda to make life hard for private landlords and their tenants?