Gareth Morgan: Make it harder for landlords to evict renters

Rentals will need to be sold with existing tenants in residence under a radical policy to greatly increase renters' rights, released today by Gareth Morgan's Opportunities Party.

The ability to evict tenants will also be reduced, with the conditions for an eviction restricted to non-payment of rent or property damage.

The Opportunities Party (Top) also wants regulations "to prevent existing tenants being priced out of their homes".

Current state houses would be gifted to non-profit social housing organisations under the "Homes Not Houses" policy, with Top saying such transfers had worked well in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Another strand of the policy is to invest proceeds from the Emissions Trading Scheme into improving the insulation and energy efficiency of all homes.

Morgan said adopting a model similar to that in place in Germany would mean more people would be happy to rent long-term, and so feel secure in putting money towards investments other than property.

"Homes Not Houses will alter the profile of New Zealand home ownership so the modest and low-incomed no longer need to climb the mountain of home ownership in order to create a stable long-term home for themselves and their families."

Morgan said solving the housing crisis was at its core about viewing residential property as a social asset for all, not a financial asset for a select few.

Top also wants to review current accommodation support payments, including whether the money would be better spent funding community housing providers to develop rental housing. The party is concerned the accommodation supplement simply lines the pockets of landlords.