The 90% Project is an NZ Herald initiative that aims to reach all New Zealanders to get the word out about vaccination so we can save lives and restore freedoms. Video / NZ Herald
As employers, workers, retail environments and others grapple with a future where vaccination status may determine how we move around the country, the thorny issue of landlords and tenants' rights has emerged.
The Herald was contacted this week by a prospective landlord confused about their rights and responsibilities when it came to asking about vaccine status.
They asked:
"My husband is immunocompromised after a transplant and has not had his booster shot. We are tenanting the flat adjoining our property. Can I ask applicants whether they are Covid vaccinated? We are old and retired, and the flat is our only income besides pension. Do I have the right to not put ourselves at risk?"
We sought comment from Tenancy Services and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) on what options were available to these prospective tenants.
Tenancy Services compliance and investigation national manager Steve Watson told us that Tenancy Services "encourages landlords and prospective tenants to talk together and agree on how they will manage particular concerns with regards to the tenancy arrangements".
"There is information on what the Covid-19 restrictions mean for landlords and tenants on the Tenancy Services website. This is updated regularly as the Health order changes," Watson added.
"If someone in your household is of higher risk to Covid-19 or other communicable diseases, you should take precautions to protect yourself and to help protect others in your household. For more information, visit the Unite Against Covid-19 website or the Ministry of Health website.
"Under Covid-19 alert level 3 you should restrict contact with persons outside of their own household. This includes your neighbours in the nearby properties.
"If you live in a boarding house or share-house living arrangement, you should pay extra attention to the information on using shared facilities on the Ministry of Health website."
A brief reply from the DPMC indicated that there would be developments in dealing with the rapidly-growing number of questions on how our vaccine status would affect our daily lives.
"Health Order settings are kept under continual review as our response to Covid-19 evolves and new information is learnt," a spokesperson told the Herald.
"The Government is working through a range of considerations as the vaccine rollout progresses, including public health requirements and guidance for businesses, services and individuals. We will continue to engage with agencies and sectors as this work continues."
Peter Lewis, from the Auckland Property Investors Association, described the vexed question as a "grey area" and echoed calls from Tenancy Services for both parties to discuss this issue if they had concerns.
He said it would be politic for both parties to treat such discussions as "social" and added that he expected to see further guidelines emerge in the coming months.
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