Healthy Homes Guarantee Act standards announced

[Learning]

How can it be retaliatory? The deadline had not passed, ergo the tenants had not (yet?) put in any claim under the RTA.

I think it was in May the Ministry issued a statement that any evictions brought on due to compliance (or lack of it) would be (can't remember exact wording) and there are laws to protect tenants against such action.

The article says that they planned to ask the LL for $4000, not that they had asked for it. if there has been no action, there can be no retaliation.

From the sound of the article, they were issued with a 90 day notice stipulating compliance as the reason. Therefore retaliation against the law change could be argued. After all, thousands of tenants have remained in their rentals during upgrades, why would these tenants be any different? Smells like a protest from the LL where the tenants get the short end. The unspoken rule of never giving a reason for a 90 day notice was broken leaving the LL wide open.

[flyernzl]

Shows the dangers of actually giving the reason for the 90 days notice.

Never EVER give the reason: just say "Because I want you to leave".

[eri]

Shows the dangers of actually giving the reason for the 90 days notice.

Never EVER give the reason: just say "Because I want you to leave".

of course you know that moves are afoot

to make reasons mandatory for non-renewal of a lease

the aim being the tenant's right to a lease-for-life

with virtually only non-payment of rent being an acceptable reason to end a lease by the LL

Tenants for life? Open-ended tenancies suggested in wide-sweeping rent law reform

The reform "proposes to remove the ability landlords have to end a tenancy at any time without having to give a reason.

Landlords will instead only be able to end a tenancy for specific reasons and may be required to show evidence to support their decision to terminate,

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12149059

and

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/113956878/tenant-looking-for-new-home-after-leaving-bad-review

[artemis]

The 'consultation' document and related information is here and worth a look if feeling masochistic -

https://www.hud.govt.nz/news-and-resources/consultations/consultation-reform-of-the-residential-tenancies-act-1986/

Closed October last year and no word on the HUD site when proposals will be available. Suspect the government is running scared as social housing waiting list skyrockets, Kiwibuild goes the other way, rental shortages persist and rents keep rising. Possibly waiting for a mandate in 2020 to push through their reforms.

[donna]

Well this is interesting - that Renters United chap cites the analogy of employment - he clearly hasn't done his homework as freelancing and fixed term employment contracts are already preferred over the so called 'job for life' he's referring to.

cheers,

Donna

[eri]

the unions of course

are hoping that next election labour can put a coaltion together

with a slightly higher %

call that a mandate

roll back 20? years of workplace reform

bring back compulsory union membership

end short-term contracts

tie executive salaries to the lowest paid worker etc.

[donna]

How to kill the NZ economy in 4 steps. Labour will stifle NZ businesses so they fail to compete globally. Those who can will just move offshore where conditions are more open and favourable, much like the Chinese businesses who have recently set up shop in other Asian countries to avoid the USA tariffs. National did well reversing the exit of our professionals and making it attractive to come back home. Labour will do the reverse and so the see saw goes as we go from Labour to National to Labour every 8 years.

cheers,

Donna

[eri]

Tenants can win up to $4000 in damages if landlords fail to insulate rental properties.

It's led to more than 300 calls in two days from tenants seeking advice about whether their landlords are in breach of the law.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a...ectid=12246187

[Keys]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a...ectid=12246187

Behind the wall.

[eri]

yes it is

but with a front page headline

that can be read by all

i imagine many tenants will be looking for an instant kiwi win by furiously texting + calling property mangers and owners for insulation statements etc

to build their case for a tribunal claim of $4000 or threats to the same end

[flyernzl]

There seems to be a widespread belief that all a tenant has to do is say "Hey, there is no insulation", text or call MBIE and $4000 will be instantly extracted from their landlord and sent to them.

How many wol actually proceed when they discover that they have to assemble a claim, submit it to the TT, pay $20.44, wait for a hearing date and then actually appear to present their case?

All the while of course the penalty is " . . .up to $4000" so the reward may actually just be a hundred or two.

[flyernzl]

Well today I went and took the measurements of my one currently vacant South Auckland property.


The living room is 20.72 sq.m, but there is an adjoining dining/kitchen area of 12.33 sq.m, so under the rules I have to heat 33sq.m as there is an open void in the wall between.


I paid $2550 in 2017 for a 3.5kw heat pump now installed in the living room.


The calculator tells me that I need 6.2Kw !!


However, if I now install doors between the two areas, the living room room only would need 3.6Kw.


So it would probably make sense to install those doors, and then just top up the last 0.5Kw with a fixed heater. That would leave the diners and kitchen occupants to shiver.


This is going to get really complex!

[Philipnz]

I have used the calculator on a two storey home with no doors between the living area and the upper hall.
I then used the formula in the act on the same house
there is a 2kW difference
i will try some less complex homes soon and see where the difference is occurring

[sidinz]

From the sound of the article, they were issued with a 90 day notice stipulating compliance as the reason. Therefore retaliation against the law change could be argued.

Retaliation against the law? Or a simple 'This property is no longer legally allowed to be rented out. Therefore, you must move out.'?

[sidinz]

The living room is 20.72 sq.m, but there is an adjoining dining/kitchen area of 12.33 sq.m, so under the rules I have to heat 33sq.m as there is an open void in the wall between.

So hang on, even if you have a physical wall between the living room and the kitchen, if you take the door off the hinges, leaving an open doorway between them, this now counts as open plan? And (in my case) the 18 deg must reach into the farthest corners of the laundry and porch areas, which are off the kitchen with the door also taken off the hinges?