HOUSING NEW ZEALAND
I am of the opinion that Housing New Zealand is meant to supply AFFORDABLE housing to low income families. It seems that Housing New Zealand are in this for the monetary profits only. We have to pay a fifth, or more, of our income as rent, but the rent we pay is based entirely on MARKET RATES. In the private sector the use of market rates is used for the same purpose, but the private sector get their assessment of market rates from the figures supplied by Housing New Zealand. so where is the justice. We tenants are therefore paying top dollar for our accommodation. Housing New Zealand also calculate as a part of the rent $11.50 of any Family Support received. This should not be, as this money is meant to be paid to a family to upkeep their children not to give away as rent to Housing New Zealand

Housing New Zealand calculates the rate of rent on gross income, in reality they should be using Nett income for the calculation of rent. There should be NO taking into account of any Work & Income allowances such as disability allowance, Family Support etc, they should also take into account and deduct from the family income, any payment being made by that family for child support.

It can be noted also that when a family income reaches $482 gross a week that the rate of rent increases from 20c in the dollar to $1 for each dollar earned. This means that the idea of 20% of income as rent is long gone as the percentage rises.

I have also noted that all of the houses in my area, to the best of my knowledge, are getting an external makeover, well that is all except ours. We have been in this house since June 1989 and just a year after we moved in the following was done – Redecoration of the hallway, bathroom, kitchen, toilet, washhouse, and one bedroom. A year later the exterior was repainted and the roof repainted. The exterior was also done to all the other four state houses in our street. Note that we have a three bedroom house and also a lounge and none of these have yet been touched. Over the past few weeks the other houses have been repainted on the outside, forn a second time, and in one house just next door to us Housing New Zealand even laid carpet right through the house for a new tenant. I am still waiting for my exterior repaint, and at least some carpet.