Set up a 'bad tenants' register

United Future MP Marc Alexander today called for a register of bad tenants to help protect landlords from having their properties trashed.

Speaking after a weekend visit to a Christchurch house trashed by tenants, Mr Alexander said it was time to look at protecting landlords from irresponsible tenants, some of whom have long and well-documented histories of damaging the property of others.

"Landlords are just people who have shown enough gumption to try to get ahead, and they should be protected as far as possible from those who would simply treat their properties with complete disregard, or worse," he said.

"Although most tenants are good, reasonable and responsible people, there is a small minority who ruin it for the rest. We simply need to bring justice to those landlords who have been abused by bad tenants."

"First, let's see a register set up so these individuals who trash flat after flat, or generally rip-off landlords, can be properly identified, and let's also get tough on enforcing court-awarded damages. That simply isn't happening at the moment," he said.

The property Mr Alexander visited is owned by an unnamed charitable trust that had gone out of its way to provide accommodation for people in need.

"This was a total betrayal of people who simply set out to help others. It was absolutely disgraceful."

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