Fitness certificates plan for rental properties

By REBECCA WALSH

Private rental properties would have to pass a certificate of fitness before they could be rented out under proposals the Government is studying.

But landlords oppose the move, saying it would bring higher rents.

A spokeswoman for Housing Minister Mark Gosche said the Government was committed to finding ways of encouraging private landlords to improve the quality of housing available for those on low incomes.

She confirmed that the idea of a certificate of fitness was being investigated, but said it was not on the work programme this year.

Her comments follow a call at the national conference of the Federation of Ethnic Councils in Auckland to introduce a certificate of fitness scheme.

Monte Cecilia House Trust manager Elaine Lolesio, who raised the issue at the conference, said a landlord-funded scheme would ensure private landlords had to meet health and safety standards before properties were rented.

Ms Lolesio said the trust had complained for years about landlords who did not provide adequate accommodation.

"A high proportion of landlords are not practising what they should be ... if you cut corners on maintaining a tenancy, there's more on the profit margin."

Census figures from 1996 show more than 300,000 private rental properties. There are 59,000 state rentals at present.

Ms Lolesio said that with Government cash, community groups and public health workers could create and maintain a database of regularly monitored rental properties.

But Daryl Fisher, president of the Property Investors Federation, said tenants had plenty of protection under the Residential Tenancy Act and through their local councils.