Rotorua rentals: Family living in fourth emergency motel in five months as weekly rents jump $80

The median weekly rent in Rotorua skyrocketed to $580 last month from $500 in April last year. Photo / 123rf

A solo mother cramming six kids into one Rotorua motel room and a tradie living in a van with his beloved dogs due to the ‘brutal’ rental market. Two rental hunters share their story with reporter Carmen Hall as weekly rents in Rotorua rise $80 in a year, and prices in the wider Bay of Plenty match Auckland and Wellington.

A solo mother of six who has lived in four motels in five months and applied for countless Rotorua rentals is desperate for a landlord “to give me a chance”.

“It would mean the world to me to have a home.”

Her story comes as Trade Me figures show the median weekly rent in Rotorua skyrocketed to $580 last month from $500 in April last year. In the Bay of Plenty, it increased to $650 – the same as Auckland and Wellington.

The mum, whom NZME has agreed not to name for safety reasons, says she has six children and is living in her fourth motel despite applying for “every four-bedroom or five-bedroom house that is in my price range”.

In her view, a bad credit rating, the size of her family and being on a benefit are the main reasons she has found it impossible to get a house.

“I bunged up my credit when I was young when I thought I had all the money in the world. Then you realise later on you have all this debt.”

She has a good private rental history and is trying to improve her credit rating.

Moving and living in different motels has unsettled her children, she says. “I hate it, it sucks.

“Where we are now is very cramped. We have one big bed, two single beds, and a couch that folds out and I’m still having to put two kids in my bed.”

She cooks off two elements and uses a borrowed electric frying pan.

“I’ve got to go to the supermarket every day because, while there is a fridge, it only has a small icebox that you can’t even get a packet of meat in.”

She feels “frustrated” and “annoyed” but says she has to push those thoughts from her mind.

“I can’t actually think about anything apart from just keeping going. I can’t worry about it or let it get to me because I’ve just tried to push forward for my kids. They are my drive.

“It would mean the world to me to have a home. I just need someone to give me a go, I am a good tenant.”

Tradie Dan Nash is living with his two dogs in a van in Te Puke and says the rental market is “brutal”. Those who have pets are the most disadvantaged.

Carpenter Dan Nash is living in his van with his two dogs as he can't find a rental. Photo / Alex Cairns

The carpenter says, in his view, it is “hardcore discrimination” and he is unwilling to part company with his pets to get a home.

“I’m not going to put my companions down, that is too rough.”

Missy is a 14-year-old red heeler cross and Mary is an 8-year-old “beautiful mongrel”.

“I think it’s messed up and if any race, religion, or sex were discriminated against as much as dog owners there would be an outrage. I’m living like a traveller in my own country.”

The 39-year-old has decided to live in his van after living with a family member in Te Puke for a while. “I couldn’t impose on her any longer.”

Professionals Rotorua McDowell Property Management business development manager Raewyn Greer says more families are applying for “anything and everything even if it is not suitable”.

“I have a solo mum with six children currently desperate for a property and I have not been able to find anything for her. We are hearing that a lot of people are having to live with family and this is causing overcrowding and landlords will not accept too many people in their homes.”

There is high demand and not enough rentals, although vendors are looking at letting unsold homes, she says. “But this is only temporary as they will ultimately sell once the market picks up.”

Rotorua Rentals owner Pauline Evans says tenants with a bad credit history can cause concern for property owners.

“However, having the proof that the client has made some attempt to repay any outstanding debt, and their overall attitude to the debt, can provide a positive slant on how their request is processed.”

She says there is strong interest from people moving to Rotorua and an increase in people aged over 65 inquiring about rentals.

“It is a lot harder for them to afford a rental property as many in this sector are on fixed incomes and the cost of living only adds to their already tight budgets being stretched and stressed even further as rents rise.”

A few tenants have offered to pay more than the advertised rent figure, which was declined immediately, she says. All landlords can ask is rent in advance and a bond.

Rotorua Rentals owner Pauline Evans. Photo / NZME

Telling the truth if your last rental did not go well is also important.

“Whether or not it was your fault, be positive, be polite and remember we are processing many applications so don’t make your application stand out for the wrong reasons or impressions.”

Rotorua Budget Advisory Service manager Pakanui Tuhura says the housing market is definitely in crisis. “There isn’t a golden bullet in a six-gun for this issue … we need a whole lot of bullets in a number of machine guns all pointing in the same direction.”

More people are telling the service they have “nothing left” after paying for necessities such as rent.

“This depends on their accommodation situation, the numbers in the house to be cared for, and how they deal with food, power and what they see as essential communication costs.

“I have seen individuals below $20 a week to families with a couple of hundred dollars a week left over to pay for fuel, sports and club costs, support and clothe their children.

“We even had one client who had nothing afterwards but was able to apply for and get an emergency allowance through the Ministry for Social Development.”

He says accommodation, especially in winter, is the primary living cost and therefore people are spending less on other living costs.

Tenancy Services acting head of tenancy Allan Galloway says the Residential Tenancies Act makes no reference to pets and he advises any conditions regarding tenants having pets should be clearly agreed before a tenancy agreement is signed.

It is illegal for a landlord to discriminate against potential tenants based on family status. However, landlords can specify the maximum number of people who can live in a home, which can affect some families.

“If tenants, or potential tenants, feel they have been discriminated against, they have an option of raising a complaint to either Tenancy Services, or the Human Rights Commission, not both.”

According to Trade Me, rental supply in Rotorua in April was up 16 per cent compared with April last year and the most popular rental listing last month was on Kawaha Point Rd, listed at $600 a week.