RWC warning issued over misleading rental claims

A Howick property, being advertised online for $1000 a week during next year's Rugby World Cup.

Homeowners who exploit others with misleading claims about their properties ahead of the Rugby World Cup have been sounded a warning by industry leaders.

A home in the eastern Auckland suburb of Howick "20 minutes away from the central business district" is among a swag of properties being marketed for rent during the cup on an online auction site.

The home is being rented out for $1000 a week during next year's Rugby World Cup.

Former Howick resident and Tourism Auckland chief executive Graeme Osborne said to say Howick was just 20 minutes away from the CBD was "fanciful".

"We pride ourselves on conducting our business in a principled way that it's just unacceptable to us of anything that might compromise that visitor experience."

"Our concern is about backing up the 100 per cent pure New Zealand experience and deception does not satisfy that requirement," he said.

It is a breach of the Fair Trading Act to give inaccurate or misleading claims about rental properties.

After being contacted by nzherald.co.nz, the Howick property owner said he would review the claim that his property was 20 minutes from Auckland's CBD.

"In hindsight it is not a good look. I've taken it on board and am going to change the ad now to 35 minutes," he said.

The owner, who does not wish to be named, said he hoped to use the proceeds from the rental for a holiday for his young family.

The advertisement had been changed to say his property is "30-40 mins" from the CBD and "25-30 mins from Eden Park" but now appears to have been removed from the site.

A breach of the Fair Trading Act carries a maximum fine of $60,000 for an individual and $200,000 for a business.

A second property advertised on the online auction site Gumtree is being offered for rent during the Rugby World Cup in Te Atatu Peninsula, West Auckland.

The advertisement says Te Atatu Peninsula is about a "12 minute drive to Auckland City, so very close to Eden Park where the games will be played."

Sue Robertson from the 80 Minute Game Ltd, a property management company providing accommodation for the Rugby World Cup, said those making outrageous claims about their property on websites ahead of the cup, were not doing their country any favours.

"To be fair it (the property) could be 12 minutes from the onramp at Te Atatu to the CBD but with no traffic. It's (the claim) a bit of a wide stretch," she said.

It wasn't fair on international travellers who were travelling a long way to find out it was more like 20 minutes from Te Atatu Peninsula, and longer if there was a lot of traffic, she said.

Robertson, who acts as a broker for privately owned homes throughout New Zealand, said one of the criteria of people listing their homes on her property management website was that she visited each property to gauge distances and travel times to public transport, airports and rugby stadiums.

Alistair Helm of Realestate.co.nz said those who deceived by posting misleading claims risked being found out as consumers became more web-savvy.

"It's certainly not good for our reputation, it's not good for the perception of the online market, and it's certainly not good for the visitor to New Zealand," he said.

More than 60,000 visitors are expected to descend on New Zealand for the 44-day tournament next year, which is forecast to boost the economy by $1.15 billion.

More than $600 million of new hotel rooms and serviced apartments are planned and Rugby World Cup bosses are also organising temporary accommodation on cruise ships.