Manawatū Tenants' Union staff Daniel Ryland (left) and Cam Jenkins with Massey University Students' Association president Marla Beissel. Photo / Judith Lacy
Manawatū Tenants' Union staff Daniel Ryland (left) and Cam Jenkins with Massey University Students' Association president Marla Beissel. Photo / Judith Lacy
Going flatting for the first time is often a significant part of a university student's experience.
Two Palmerston North organisations have pledged to work together for the interests of these renters.
Manawatū Tenants' Union and Massey University Students' Association have signed a memorandum of understanding outlining how they will worktogether. They will identify where the organisations complement each other and any structural problems facing the people they work for.
MTU and MUSA will inform students of each organisation's services, advocate and work for the interests of renters, and organise shared activities to support their missions.
A MUSA representative will sit on the MTU committee. MTU chairman Lawrence O'Halloran said he wants the committee to be more representative of the different groups it is trying to serve.
MUSA represents Manawatū internal Massey students. Negin Nematollahi, lead MUSA events and clubs coordinator, said international students often have never been flatting before as in their home countries it is easy to rent a place on your own. Kiwi students know what to do and where to go if there is a problem.
Nematollahi, who came to New Zealand from Iran in 2018, said people on international student visas don't tend to make complaints about their housing situation.
MUSA president Marla Beissel said tenants often don't know their rights.
