Auckland has so many ghost houses because of new rental laws, says an Auckland property developer who has "given away" a $1.92 million Grey Lynn home rent-free for a year.
A developer of 25 years, who called Newstalk ZB this morning, said he had bought 9 Francis St in Grey Lynn and offered it to an Australian family to live there rent-free till he furthers plans to build on the site.

The house in Francis St featured in the Herald last year in an article headlined Record do-up price in the street after Grey Lynn dunger fetches $1.92m.
"I'm the big ugly capitalist pig. I've given it to an Australian family over here for a year rent-free and they're going to do some work on it which they are right now. I said, 'mate I don't want any money because I'm going to build a couple of houses for my son and daughter and they're going to have flatmates'. I've said, 'mate you can have it'," he said.