Editorial:What if the tenant is causing problems?

We once rented a house in Auckland.

My wife and I paid more than $300 a week for a property that was run down and leaked, but was close to fantastic restaurants, a lake and not too far from the motorway on-ramp.

I have to say I never liked renting but appreciate many Kiwis have to for financial reasons or prefer to for other reasons.

But I can remember treating the house as if it was my own and treating the neighbours with respect.

I've been on the other side of the fence too when I had to find tenants for a rental my parents owned.

The people I chose seemed fine, and their references checked out, but they turned out to be a nightmare, mainly by not paying the rent and getting angry with me when I went round to get the money.

Renting a property and renting out a property can be fraught with problems. I've lost count of the number of times I have heard family and friends complain about bad tenants.

Most common are people not paying rent, not paying the full rent, causing damage, and tenants who do not return phone calls or text messages.

But what if the tenant is causing problems for other people in the street?

This is the scenario in Otumoetai Rd.

We reported this week residents living near a property are frightened after loud explosions, domestics, intimidation and the presence of gang-related people.

The police armed offenders squad has been called to the property twice and detectives cannot explain what caused the loud explosions.

Residents are scared to venture out after 5pm and have spent money on deadlocks for their homes.

Things are so bad they have formed a support group.

The rental horror stories get worse.

In today's edition, we examine the wider issue.

There are shocking examples, such as tenants urinating inside, putting holes in the walls and leaving rubbish rotting in the lounge.

What sort of animals are these people?

The country's tenancy laws are too heavily weighted towards tenants, despite them having been amended in 2010.

One example is landlords having to give up to three months' written notice for terminating a tenancy, which gives disgruntled tenants plenty of time to damage the place.

Another is they must give tenants 48 hours to inspect the property but not more than once every four weeks and only between the hours of 8am and 7pm.

Tenancy rules say landlords must take all reasonable steps to ensure tenants don't disturb any other tenants.

Tenants must not disturb neighbours, or allow anyone else at the property to do so.

I believe the Otumoetai Rd offenders are in breach of these rules, and they do not care about anyone else around them.

I can't imagine what it must be like for nearby residents and was looking forward to the people who own the property providing some answers and words of comfort.

But the owners, Robin and Diane Goldsack, refused to comment.

I do feel sorry for them.

Two of our journalists went to the house but decided not to enter because of the people there, high fence and a mean-looking muscle dog present.

I would have thought these landlords would want a better class of tenant.

This aside, they have a responsibility as good property owners to protect the neighbours.

They must sort out this mess.