Friday, 01 December 2023
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDRIVEN Car GuideThe CountryPhoto SalesiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub
Voyager 2023 media awards
Subscribe

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
Home / Business

Covid 19 coronavirus: Two thirds of renters struggling, says new report

RNZ
29 Apr, 2020 01:45 AM3 mins to read
Saveshare

Share this article

facebookcopy linktwitterlinkedinredditemail
Level 3 means a return to work for some, fast food for others and the chance to go for a surf or a round of golf. Video / NZ Herald

By RNZ

A survey of almost 2000 tenants by Renters United shows that two thirds had lost at least a third of their income under lockdown and 92 per cent of those with reduced incomes were still paying full rent.

Only 5.9 per cent had received a rent reduction or deferral, Renters United said.

One in 10 tenants expected to end up in debt to their landlords and a quarter expected to have to go into debt to pay the rent, according to the survey.

One renter, who wished to remain anonymous, told Morning Report when the country went into lockdown his household's dual income dropped to less than the rent, but he had to "jump through hoops" to get any help from his landlord.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"I approached our landlord about getting some sort of rent relief and it took us about 10 days for us to organise something. We wanted rent relief because we've been here so long, we thought we deserved something, not deserve something, but needed something."

His wife qualified for a subsidy of 80 per cent of her pre-lockdown income, but his income reduced to nothing as he was working in a short-term job and his employer did not qualify. That left them with a weekly income of $585 and weekly rent of $620.

"So we were in a bit of a pickle," he said.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

He says his landlord was not "sympathetic at all" to their plight.

"He made us jump through hoops. He wanted us to approach everyone else prior to him giving any sort of rent relief. So in the end I did have to go through Winz and get an accommodation supplement and an emergency supplement to get us through this."

His family have been renting the home for 12 years and he was hoping for some loyalty in return, he said.

"It just didn't feel good that I had to do that. We were very, very long term tenants, we had never, ever missed a payment in the time we've been here, we'd never questioned any sort of rent increase and I thought a bit of payback would be nice. A bit of loyalty perhaps.

Related articles

World

Airborne coronavirus detected in Wuhan hospitals

28 Apr 11:53 PM
Business

Ferry service StraitNZ consults staff on cuts

29 Apr 12:31 AM
Business

Farmers plans to cut staff pay by up to 40%

29 Apr 12:04 AM
New Zealand

Sisters appeal for isolation exemption to see dying mother

29 Apr 01:00 AM

"We've been here such a long time that our son was brought up here, we call this place our home, it's not a house, and I felt we were treated quite poorly."

The landlord has agreed to halve the rent but the shortfall of $2250 must be paid back by October, he said.

He wife's shop is in lockdown until level 2, after which he hopes to start making repayments. She has also had to come to an arrangement with her commercial landlord and will be repaying that back as well, he said.

"I can understand the commercial one, but in this situation I think after the length of period we've been here and the fact the landlord used to visit here and we'd treat him as a friend - we'd have natters and chats and things like that - I thought perhaps he could have let us go with it.

"But that's the way it is; he's playing hardball."

Saveshare

Share this article

facebookcopy linktwitterlinkedinredditemail

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Business

Premium
Business

FMI Building Innovation strike: Union complains of 'lockout'

01 Dec 02:29 AM
Business

Grounded: Parts problem forces Air NZ to cancel some regional flights

01 Dec 02:15 AM
Premium
Business

Genesis CEO on risks in the electricity system

01 Dec 12:59 AM
Business

PwC appoints Andrew Holmes as New Zealand CEO

01 Dec 12:40 AM

Navigating the ‘decade of uncertainty’

sponsored

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Business

Premium
FMI Building Innovation strike: Union complains of 'lockout'

FMI Building Innovation strike: Union complains of 'lockout'

01 Dec 02:29 AM

Strike in run-up to Christmas as director and E tū union in pay dispute.

Grounded: Parts problem forces Air NZ to cancel some regional flights

Grounded: Parts problem forces Air NZ to cancel some regional flights

01 Dec 02:15 AM
Premium
Genesis CEO on risks in the electricity system

Genesis CEO on risks in the electricity system

01 Dec 12:59 AM
PwC appoints Andrew Holmes as New Zealand CEO

PwC appoints Andrew Holmes as New Zealand CEO

01 Dec 12:40 AM
How to make a win-win-win from waste
sponsored

How to make a win-win-win from waste

About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2023 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP