The legislative changes are designed to improve renters’ rights, but will they make a difference to the people who have borne the brunt of the housing crisis? A Māori public health provider has welcomed new tenancy laws that came into effect this month, but is concerned the new rights haven’t been communicated to the most … Read more
Summer reissue: Homeownership has long been touted as the great Kiwi dream, but not everyone’s looking for a permanent fix. Jihee Junn explores the rising phenomenon of renters by choice. First published February 25, 2020. Even if I had a hundred grand sitting in the bank for me to spend right now, I’m not sure … Read more
As South Auckland’s property market heats up, those in poorly managed rentals often face a hard choice – complain and face the consequences, or stay quiet and keep their home. Neo is a half ragdoll, half moggy eight-month-old kitten. For Bronwyn Cann and Aaron Smith, the excitement surrounding Neo’s arrival was palpable – and finding … Read more
Is there still a place for a show that portrays property managers as housing market heroes? TVNZ’s Renters thinks so, Sam Brooks thinks not. Ten minutes into the first episode of season eight of Renters – that’s two more seasons than Outrageous Fortune got, folks – comes one of the most depressing things I’ve ever … Read more
Homeownership has long been touted as the great Kiwi dream, but not everyone’s looking for a permanent fix. Jihee Junn explores the rising phenomenon of renters by choice. Even if I had a hundred grand sitting in the bank for me to spend right now, I’m not sure buying a house would be my first … Read more
Politicians have been ignoring pleas to control the wild west property management industry for over a decade, including the latest lobbying effort. The housing minister is unmoved by calls from a coalition of 26 organisations to regulate rental property managers. Social change agency Anglican Advocacy is leading a lobby to rein in the uncontrolled property … Read more
The show Renters is a morality play about the sufferings inflicted on landlords by their terrible tenants. Hayden Donnell talks to one of the show’s stars ahead of its seventh season, and tries to convince her to support pro-tenant rental reform. It’s impossible to dislike Pru Morrell. The star of TVNZ’s reality series Renters is … Read more
Being a tenant in New Zealand is often a difficult and disempowering experience. Hayden Donnell looks into what’s broken in our rental housing market. The bad news is many of you will probably never own a home. Average property prices are 10 times the median household income of $92,843 in Auckland, while in New Zealand … Read more
In celebration of Rent Week, Calum Henderson watches the hilariously bleak docu-series Renters and finds Kiwi comedy gold. On the face of it, the TVNZ 2’s Renters show seems to exist solely to reinforce every negative stereotype about tenants in the Evil Landlord Handbook. It cynically takes all the worst and most extreme examples of bad … Read more