Spare a thought for Housing NZ tenants

Submitted by Rachael Goldsmith on Sun, 04/17/2011 - 16:51

I applaud Gareth with his Warm Healthy Rentals program. I want to highlight another group of people in vulnerable housing who haven't had the attention they need - Housing NZ tenants.

I myself live in a Housing NZ house, which was kindly found for us by them in my family's time of desperate need. I have few bad words to say about my experience with them (our housing manager is awesome!). But there is one little (well, not so little) thing I have to stand up against.

We were told we were 'lucky' to have carpet in most of the rooms when we moved in. Its not in a great state, but it's there. I was also told that we would need to acquire our own curtains, which, fortunately due to some help, I was able to do.

But not all Housing NZ tenants are so lucky.

Drive down my street, and you will see most of the houses have a. no curtains, b. sheets, c. blankets, or d. a massive recoverable payment with WINZ and nice curtains.

See that's just wrong. People living in extreme poverty, homeless and dependant on benefits in their darkest hour should not have to get MORE in debt just to have one of our basic human rights - privacy. Have to scrounge on even less to feed their children than before so they can buy mats to cover the freezing floor. Not eat themselves to pay the higher power bills. Which sucks more of our valuable energy. This is just plain wrong no matter which way you look at it.

Housing NZ will tell you that they have had enough of being ripped off by their bad tenants. Fair enough! But all should not pay for the sins of a few. A person should not be automatically guilty and therefore deprived because they are desperate.
Housing NZ are there as a government funded welfare-type service, and as one who deals with our most vulnerable, should by mandate have to provide their tenants with minimal living standards. I consider curtains and carpet to be minimal standards, like an oven and a place to wash. Don't you?

I want to create policy that gives our Housing NZ tenants their basic human rights. I don't believe it's too much to ask.

2 comments

Apr

I agree - there should be assistance available

Submitted by Ryan (not verified) on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 23:29.

When I moved into my Housing NZ flat several years ago, I was on a benefit and was expected to kit out a whole flat with all the appliances, with around $130 per week after rent to pay for food, bills and get to hospital appointments and eventually look for a job (which requires bus fares, new clothes etc.). It was really difficult. I only had a bed and some furniture from flatting and didn't own any appliances or curtains or anything. I haunted the local Sallies every weekend and gradually built up the stuff I needed. Most of the people in the flats had kids and I didn't see how they could afford to ever buy anything except necessities - it was a struggle for me and I was only supporting myself. I can't remember what other assistance was available for things like that but I wasn't entitled to it if there was. There definitely should be.

Apr

Thanks Ryan

Submitted by Rachael Goldsmith on Tue, 04/19/2011 - 18:31.

For sharing your story, and I totally agree with you. It's great that you managed to get some stuff from thrift stores - thank goodness for them and their food banks, a wonderful service to the community - but one that is overwhelmed because of practices like Housing NZ's. NZ people and social service agencies can only take so much.