February 25, 2019
No tears for landlords as rent rules set
Te Taitokerau MP Kelvin Davis says the Government will be making no apologies for its efforts to improve New Zealanders' living conditions.
The National Party and landlords' lobby groups are complaining new rules for rental houses will push up costs, which will be passed on to tenants.
By 2024 every rental home in New Zealand will need to be insulated up to the 2008 building standard and have a heater in the living room capable of warming it to 18 degrees.
Mr Davis says many landlords will look for any excuse to push rents up, but the Government is looking at high rates of respiratory problems and hospitalisation for renters, especially for Māori.
"I don't think we should be apologetic about looking after the health of our people. We understand landlords will do what landlords want to do but there is a bigger picture and we can't have our people getting ill, we can't have our people passing away earlier for preventable reasons and if our homes are making them ill, we've got to do something about it," he says.
Copyright © 2019, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com