Family of seven living in Helensville hotel: 'It's so hard to get a home'

One Auckland mum simply wants a house for her family.

Her family of seven - who the Herald agreed not to name - have spent five months living in emergency housing in a Helensville motel after being forced to vacate their Henderson rental property last year.

With children aged one to 15, the only motel with room for her family was more than 40 minutes away from her children's schools and family support network in West Auckland.

Her partner, who was working as a casual truck driver when they lost their home, is no longer employed due to living so far from his workplace. Securing new work had been tough, given the family could be forced to move again at any moment, and the couple were now both receiving benefits.

The mother said she was willing to move anywhere in Auckland, the Waikato or Gisborne to secure a home.

"I don't want to [move my children out of their schools] because they are really settled where they are," she said.

"But if I have to do that to get them a house, I will do that."

The family's troubles started more than a year ago when the owner of their Henderson rental decided to sell the property.

At the same time, the mother became pregnant with her youngest son.

Not wishing to move into emergency housing with an infant, the family moved in with relatives, living in overcrowded and stressful conditions.

When her son was old enough, they applied for emergency housing, unable to find their own rental property.

Long trips to school each day meant money that could be spent on food instead went on petrol. The children had dropped out of their sporting clubs as the family's income had become increasingly tight.

The family were also forced to attend constant rental home viewings, including some as far away as Hamilton.

The Ministry of Social Development said it would back them to secure homes with weekly rents as high $650, but the mother thinks landlords aren't interested in taking in families on benefits.

"I've met a few families in the same situation and it's depressing," she said.

"Years ago it was easy to get a home, but now it is so hard."