Ana Apatu: Help for 'friendly landlords'

Ana Apatu.

Housing - we are obsessed with housing issues. The media is full of issues regarding housing, the cost and demand for affordable housing, and the homeless. U-Turn Trust has been responding to housing issues for many years. Our constitution states "improve health standards, education levels, employment opportunities, housing standards and life skills".

Te Aranga Marae has housed the homeless temporarily for many years. This is not a new thing, many marae will be responding to the need until government or other agencies provide a more long-term solution.

There are many issues regarding housing in Flaxmere. Home-ownership rates in Flaxmere have dropped significantly and over half of all households do not own their own homes. Where in many countries leasing or renting is much more the norm and protected by tenants' rights, we in New Zealand are often more vulnerable when renting, partly due to tenants not knowing their rights and not wanting to rock the boat in case of eviction.

A partnership forged with Hawkes Bay Property Investors' Association member Graham Duff and U-Turn has seen the development of the Flaxmere Friendly Landlord Scheme. Rather than "name and shame" those not so proactive - or using Graham's term, those "ratbag" landlords - we are working with the willing.

The HBPIA is one of 19 associations around New Zealand with an overall co-ordinating body, the NZPI Federation. The HBPIA has more than 300 members who focus on best practice. The sector is governed by an Act of Parliament with a new amendment just passed, which means all rental properties will need to be insulated and smoke alarmed by July 2019.

At a meeting of the recently revived Hawkes Bay Housing coalition, this new amendment is discussed. How will this legislation be policed? Maybe upon sale of a house, the house will need to comply with latest standards. But really, this will land in the laps of homeowners or landlords.

Those attending the coalition meeting include Hawke's Bay DHB, Housing NZ, the Ministry of Social Development, chaired by the Regional Council.

We discuss these latest standards. We agree that some landlords and many tenants do not know about the Act and are not aware of their rights and obligations as a landlord and as a tenant. We discuss the Flaxmere Friendly Landlord Scheme.

We have invited Minister Nick Smith to launch the scheme. The HBPIA has agreed to this accreditation scheme for rental properties. This will include a certificate/sticker or brand to signal this standard for properties that are insulated, heated and smoke alarmed. This will be policed by the association. In turn, we agree that U-Turn will drive an accredited scheme for tenants.

Tenants will be offered the opportunity to attend a session which will include rights and responsibilities of a tenant, basic information on how to maintain a warm, dry and healthy home, ventilation, heating, basic mould control, providing a healthy homes kit which will include good old white vinegar (also a fantastic all-round cleaner).

We intend to provide some form of certification for the tenant to provide to prospective landlords. Hopefully this accreditation will provide the tenant with some advantage when applying for a rental. In preparation, the Hawkes Bay DHB child health or healthy homes team in Flaxmere call a meeting, and here we learn from MSD this scheme is operating in other countries. We can learn from this.

We agree to run a survey with landlords to explore what subjects they would like us to include with our education session. This provides another opportunity of engaging with landlords - particularly those non-HBPIA members. There are many advantages of joining the association: the buying power, for example of smoke alarms etc; being current with legislation; and having support with good, sound landlord practices.

So for those of you who may be interested - Hawke's Bay Property Investors' Association call 027 858 7468 or email hawkesbay@nzpif.org.nz, or write to PO Box 12049, Ahuriri, Napier. There is a flat joining fee of $200 whether corporate, couple or individual.

- Ana Apatu is CEO of the U-Turn Trust, based at Te Aranga Marae in Flaxmere.