June 08, 2015
Building WOFs would need policing
Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell is concerned a warrant of fitness for housing would be too hard to police.
Labour is calling for action on the quality of rental housing after a coroner found that cold, damp conditions in a Housing New Zealand property contributed to the death of Otara two year old Emma-Lita Bourne last August.
Mr Flavell says he was shocked by the low quality of rental housing he saw on a recent trip to Christchurch.
But he says there are practical limits to what can be done.
"When I was in Christchurch the tenancy protection advocacy group said there are enough rules in place if only they were policed. Of course that means having enough people on the ground from MBIE to check these houses. Well, the practical implication is they are just not able to do it," he says.
Mr Flavell says being too prescriptive about standards for rental housing could force rents up.
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