Tenancy law overhaul: Concern new rules could harm domestic violence victims

Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act comes in to affect on February 11 and is set to affect up to 600,000 Kiwi properties. Photo / 123RF

New rules for renters could be damaging for victims of domestic abuse, a family violence spokesperson says.

Major changes to the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 1986 have to come into effect by August 11 at the latest, however they can be brought into force before then.

Under the act, victims will only need to give landlords two days' notice, with evidence, to withdraw from a tenancy.

However, manager of Christchurch-based family violence agency Aviva, Gwenda Kendrew, said evidence of abuse is often unseen and difficult to display.

"I don't want to hear that a client of ours that is experiencing family violence is interrogated by a landlord who may not have any skills or knowledge in that specific area."

Kendrew says she is concerned around what kind of evidence landlords will ask for, and if it will continue to keep the integrity of the tenant.

"That could be incredibly disrespectful or damaging to our clients. It could also put them at risk depending on who the relationship with the landlord is."

Another part of the act says tenants remaining after a renter's withdrawal will be able to pay reduced rent for two weeks.

Prudence Morrall of Christchurch's Good Girls Property Management said she felt this rewarded the behaviour of abusers.

Government documentation shows a person could be fined up to $3000 if they disclose information around a withdrawal from domestic abuse.

The new changes to the act will embed tenants more firmly and make it harder for landlords to evict, with a far more limited range of reasons.

New Zealand has around 1.5 million tenants in about 600,000 properties.

Other key changes include Tenancy Tribunal fines rising from $50,000 to $100,000, landlords cannot refuse the installation of broadband fibre if it is free and landlords cannot unreasonably decline if tenants ask to reassign the lease.