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State house tenants profit from boarders
28 November 2005
Hundreds of Christchurch state house tenants are making extra income renting rooms to boarders while nearly 1000 families are left on the waiting list for a home.
National's housing spokesman, Phil Heatley, said it was a "rip-off" that 610 state house tenants in Christchurch were able to use their homes to make money.
Ninety-six of the houses had between two and four boarders, which Heatley said indicated the house was too big for the family to which it was allocated.
"I would have thought someone with spare rooms should be downgraded.
"These state house tenants are making money out of taxpayer assets while needy people wait for somewhere clean and dry to live."
The law allows state house tenants to have one or two boarders without declaring the extra income.
Heatley said Christchurch was one of the worst areas in the country. The situation was made worse here because of the city's significant homeless population, he said.
Heatley called for an urgent audit of state house tenants and boarders.
"These particular tenants need to be audited to check their circumstances haven't changed. I'm not saying they should be kicked out, but they need to be put where it's more appropriate."
A spokesman for Housing Minister Chris Carter said the issue was complicated because up to 80 per cent of paying boarders were family members.
"For example, it could be a 17-year-old just started in work and now paying a bit of rent or an elderly person who might get a carer in. The key issue is these are not all people ripping off the system."
28 November 2005
Hundreds of Christchurch state house tenants are making extra income renting rooms to boarders while nearly 1000 families are left on the waiting list for a home.
National's housing spokesman, Phil Heatley, said it was a "rip-off" that 610 state house tenants in Christchurch were able to use their homes to make money.
Ninety-six of the houses had between two and four boarders, which Heatley said indicated the house was too big for the family to which it was allocated.
"I would have thought someone with spare rooms should be downgraded.
"These state house tenants are making money out of taxpayer assets while needy people wait for somewhere clean and dry to live."
The law allows state house tenants to have one or two boarders without declaring the extra income.
Heatley said Christchurch was one of the worst areas in the country. The situation was made worse here because of the city's significant homeless population, he said.
Heatley called for an urgent audit of state house tenants and boarders.
"These particular tenants need to be audited to check their circumstances haven't changed. I'm not saying they should be kicked out, but they need to be put where it's more appropriate."
A spokesman for Housing Minister Chris Carter said the issue was complicated because up to 80 per cent of paying boarders were family members.
"For example, it could be a 17-year-old just started in work and now paying a bit of rent or an elderly person who might get a carer in. The key issue is these are not all people ripping off the system."
