Posts by Lilith __
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Speaker: The problem of “horror tenants”…, in reply to Lucy Telfar Barnard,
If the landlord knew his/her rights better – or rather, was more up with the play, since it’s definitely arguable whether it really is a landlord’s right to only provide a power point –
It's even possible they acted out of basic human decency. Tax-deductible decency.
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Speaker: The problem of “horror tenants”…, in reply to Lucy Telfar Barnard,
Lilith, the list you’re thinking of is the Housing Improvement Regulations 1947. In theory, they’re still in force, via the Health Act.
Aha! Thank you.
In practice I have successfully used 10-day-letters for landlords in breach of these regulations. (when there was no heater provided; when the oven stopped working and the landlord didn't fix it) -
Speaker: The problem of “horror tenants”…, in reply to Matthew Poole,
Landlords are required to provide some form of heating.
Really? Our place has nothing, other than a fireplace that we’re forbidden to use because the chimney hasn’t been swept in forever. All the heaters are supplied by ourselves.
Somewhere, somewhere, there is a list, which I can't currently find. I used to have a hard copy.
Is it in the building regulations?Things like: must have cooking facilities; must have a shower or bath; must have a fridge or ventilated cupboard; must have a facility for washing clothes (ie. not the kitchen sink); must have a form of heating...
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Speaker: The problem of “horror tenants”…, in reply to Matthew Poole,
I have been on both sides of the share house issue, often, and I don’t think the law can really do much.
Well, apart from require formal agreements.
Or, in the absence of a specific agreement, apply a form agreement to all such arrangements; much the same way that there’re boilerplate employment terms in statute that can be altered but not lowered and apply in the absence of anything more specific.
Agreed.
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Speaker: The problem of “horror tenants”…, in reply to Moz,
apart from require formal agreements. Which would give everybody rights and responsibilities.
How would that not just become another weapon to use against disadvantaged people? Whatever improvement you’re suggesting has to be both cheaper and easier than signing a lease, and should also be better for the leasee/landlord than what we have now or they won’t want to bother.
Wait, I'm talking about situations where the landlord lives on the premises, which is not currently covered by the Act. What are you talking about?
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Speaker: The problem of “horror tenants”…, in reply to Moz,
the government-level solution should be more aimed at removing the need for that market.
Which would require, for one thing, a massive increase in welfare payments and accommodation supplements.
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Speaker: The problem of “horror tenants”…, in reply to Moz,
I have been on both sides of the share house issue, often, and I don’t think the law can really do much.
Well, apart from require formal agreements. Which would give everybody rights and responsibilities.
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Landlords are required to provide some form of heating. In one place I lived this was an open coal fire. I had to vigorously argue with the landlady that we needed a grate for the fire. (She said the last people had been happy to "just put things in the hole"!) Some weeks later she brought round a grate she'd got from a demolition sale, that was the wrong size for our fire. We cut it down with a hacksaw.
The expenses of rental property upkeep are tax-deductible, and landlords who make a "loss" over the financial year can use it to reduce their personal tax bill. Improvements raise the value of their investment, and they reap the rewards of capital gain on sale, which is usually not taxed.
Which makes it even more inexplicable why some landlords are loath to carry our essential repairs or provide even the basic necessities.
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Not wishing to threadjack, but the housing crisis in Chch is a scandal.
This single Mum in Chch is living in a damp, leaky caravan with her 3 kids. Six months trying to find any other shelter has been fruitless: rents are unaffordable, emergency shelters are full, Housing NZ says they can’t help.
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Speaker: The problem of “horror tenants”…, in reply to Lucy Telfar Barnard,
I don’t personally have much problem with landlords/head tenants being able to turf their flatmates out with no notice. It’s a different deal when you’re living with someone.
Huh? No problem with tenants being evicted with no notice, at the fiat of the landlord? I had this happen once, merely because my landlady got a new boyfriend and suddenly didn't need me anymore. If a family member hadn't taken me in, I would have been homeless.
I've lived in a number of places where the owner-occupier was renting out rooms to help pay the bills. Mostly it's worked fine, but the "no legal recourse" thing is scary. When I've suggested a written agreement they generally refuse.
If they accept rent in advance they are making a contract with you for you to occupy for that time. So they can't evict you until that time has passed.