Letters: Renters and landlords are not all bad

Not all landlords and tenants are bad, says a reader. Photo / Getty Images

With reference to yet another letter from Jim Adams (Letters, November 20) extolling the failings in the rental market and his investigation that showed most landlords were not nice.

I also have many years' experience with both tenants and landlords. Most landlords are normal mum and dad investors trying to provide for their retirement without relying on the Government.

They spend much of their spare time fixing up a home, cleaning and painting their investment. There are much easier ways of making money than investing in residential rentals.

Tenants, on the whole, are nice people who simply want a place to live.

Many do not want the hassle of owning, paying rates and insurance, maintaining gardens and doing maintenance. Some want the freedom that renting provides, without being tied to one place.

I challenge you to show me that these landlords do a worse job than currently is being done by the government with HNZ.

D Van Den Broek
MBIE NZ Landlord of the Year 2009

Experience, not hearsay

Jim Adams' statement of investigating landlords for years I take with a grain of salt.

I have been a landlord so I talk from experience, not hearsay, and it's a two way street.

Most landlords and tenants are fair-minded people but there are always those few who try to rip the system off - not paying rent, wrecking the house.

As for Adams' view that all rentals should be overseen by the Government - what a joke.

Do you really think that will make things better? Look at their track record. (Abridged)

Gavin Muir
Rotorua

New identity

I'm often in awe of the beautiful show that the abundant rhododendrons (and azaleas) of our city put on each late winter and spring. They seem to do so well here, and could well be emblematic of our city.

Why not draw attention to this facet of Rotorua? Forget Rotovegas (with its negative connotations) and re-identify ourselves as Rhodocity.

David Preest
Rotorua

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