Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford today announced proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act aimed at making life better for renters.
“The New Zealand housing market is changing and more and more people are being forced to rent longer into their lives.
“This is more prevalent in cities like Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch.
“Wellington rents are rising faster than the rest of the country and competition for places is fierce. The rental market needs to be more balanced.
“Rental bidding, as has been reported in Wellington, further distorts the market and leaves tenants with less cash for day-to-day living.
“We don’t want to be a city where all people can afford is rent and then they skimp on other essentials.
“We also want people to be more secure in their rentals, not sitting in their flats unsure whether they will be there in a year’s time.
“It’s not just young people but families and older people who need rental security. Shifting from rental to rental means unnecessary upheaval in children’s school lives and also unnecessary stress for those involved.”