Estate agents keep tabs on tenants

Almost 400,000 New Zealanders could find their names on a new national rental database of good and bad tenants.

Real Estate Institute president Howard Morley said property managers were entering thousands of tenants' names on the database, which was open only to institute members.

The institute quietly launched the new register in August and is encouraging property managers to enter as much information as possible about tenants.

Private landlords do not have access to the system, which is used by licensed real estate agents who manage properties.

Up to 380,000 names could eventually be on the register. It includes the names of many state housing tenants because their Government or privately owned houses are managed by property managers at licensed agencies.

"We're trying to stop people who are deliberately out to avoid paying rent and leave houses in poor repair," Mr Morley said.

Tenants' names, dates of birth and other identifying information and rental history were among the details listed. The institute said tenants who wanted details of their listing could write to the Real Estate Institute's national office in Parnell.

The national manager of tenancy services for the Department of Building and Housing, Nigel Bickle, had talked to the institute over the database, Mr Morley said.

But another Government official was keen to distance himself from it. "To the best of its knowledge, Housing New Zealand Corporation at a national level has not been approached by the institute about involvement," said communications director Tom Bridgman.

"The corporation would be unlikely to be involved because it has a social responsibility to house those most in need, which includes those who may have difficulty getting private rental accommodation. Involvement could be counter to that responsibility."

Mr Morley said the project was spearheaded by the institute's residential property managers' special interest group, chaired by Diane Nelson.

In Auckland, Housing Lobby spokeswoman Sue Henry was outraged that the register had opened without public scrutiny and said it was a breach of tenants' rights and a threat to their privacy.

It was open to abuse by those entering data and was controlled by property managers, which disempowered renters.

A similar system in Australia has caused an outcry from tenants.

Australia's database has blacklisted tenants for abandoning property or owing rent, causing damage and incurring bills for cleaning or rubbish removal.

The Tenants Union in Victoria said some tenants were blacklisted for having a dispute with a landlord who had unrealistic expectations about how clean a property should be when the tenants moved out.


If you rent, these details could be on the new national database:
* Your name.
* Date of birth.
* Address of tenancy.
* Length of tenure.
* Tenancy tribunal orders.
* Who managed the property.
* Rent or bond disputes.
* Property of condition when vacated.

* * *

A list of good and bad tenants established by the police in Kawerau two years ago is still growing.

In October 2004, Senior Sergeant Mark Van Der Kley set up the register in a move aimed at ridding the town of criminals by making it hard for them to find a place to rent.

Mr Van Der Kley said the list initially caused a stink.

"There was a bit of a furore when it first became public, with some people saying it should not be done. But no one has ordered me to close it down."

The register is strictly confidential and restricted to registered landlords. Details are not kept on tenants' criminal convictions.