Mission Welcomes Greater Protections For Boarding House Tenants.

Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act extending protections to those living in Boarding Houses have been welcomed by staff at the Auckland City Mission.

‘Many Mission clients have few options other than Boarding House accommodation,” said City Missioner Diane Robertson. ‘In the past, we have seen clients evicted from Boarding Houses with no warning whatsoever - leaving in the morning to go about their daily business and returning mid-afternoon to be confronted by the landlord informing them their tenancy has been terminated and that they are required to remove their belongings immediately. As dramatic as it sounds, it’s not an uncommon occurrence,” she continued.

“In addition, the legal requirement to formally file bonds will be a definite benefit. Unlike standard rentals, Boarding Houses were not previously required to lodge tenant bonds with the Tenancy Tribunal. We have seen many instances where clients have lost their bond in a quick and often stressful eviction with no process for dispute.”

“The inclusion of Boarding Houses in the Residential Tenancies Act provisions will give our clients the capacity to argue their case against unfair eviction, give them a longer time period to prepare for their next dwelling and in turn hopefully reduce the number of rough sleepers in Auckland. The extension of this law is a positive change for a very vulnerable sector of our community,” Ms Robertson said.

ENDS

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