"The elderly lady who lives in the unit next to us told us it was the constant flooding that forced two previous tenants to quit the property."
Mr Hall said the water often reached about 30cm deep and took about three days to drain away.
"I'm an asthmatic and our bedroom is right in front of where the flooding occurs. Even our clothes have started to go mouldy because it's so damp," he said.
"It only needs persistent rain for about three hours and it will back up and spill into our driveway."
He said any time they had to leave the unit after it had been raining they needed to put on gumboots to get to their car and then put them on again when they got home.
"I talked to the Tenancy Tribunal, who told me because it's not the landlord's problem I can't terminate our rental agreement, which we signed for 12 months. If we did leave we would still have to pay the outstanding rental for the rest of the year.
"We love the place and love the neighbours and it's something we can afford, but this situation is terrible," he said.
Council infrastructure manager Mark Hughes said staff were looking for ways to eradicate the flooding problem, especially near the Halls' unit.
"The tree roots have damaged, and continued to damage, the kerb and channel in Halswell St, which was causing the stormwater problem, but the trees are listed in the council's district plan and protected," Mr Hughes said.
"However, in conjunction with our parks team, infrastructure staff will investigate whether we can alleviate the worst of the flooding problems in Halswell St.
"We'll see if it's possible to put in another sump and try to find a way around the trees. That work is scheduled within the next three months," he said.