State Housing Tenant Fights HNZC on Legality of Eviction

Housing New Zealand tenant Ioela (Niki) Rauti took HNZ to the tenancy tribunal a month ago to fight against continued harassment by HNZ and to challenge the lawfulness of her eviction.

HNZ repeatedly visited her house without notice in an effort to intimidate her out of her home. Niki will be seeking exemplary damages. This could have further impact on dozens of other state house tenants who are visited repeatedly without notice by HNZ representatives in order to intimidate them to move out.

Niki’s eviction is a part of a large scale redevelopment of Northern Glen Innes where the current state housing stock is being replaced with a mixed tenure community, reducing the amount of housing available to existing community members and forcing many to leave.

The extension of the eviction came after Niki had started a morning and afternoon campaign outside her house. Niki believes the changes to her eviction date was to avoid any additional attention brought to state housing changes before the 2014 election. HNZ rushed through the extension on Niki’s eviction in order to avoid a mass occupation before the election which could have brought negative press to the National government’s social housing reforms. HNZ sent a letter and visited on September 22, the Monday after the election.

Niki is asking “why are Housing New Zealand tenants treated differently to the tenants in the private sector rentals?” She has stated that “the Residential Tenancy Act has been manipulated to fulfil the wishes of property developers and to clear tenants like myself out of our homes.”

Niki will be attending court on 15 December 2014 at 930am to charge Housing New Zealand with harassment and disturbing her quiet enjoyment, and unlawful variation to her eviction notice.

Come and support Niki outside of the District Court at 9am, and to support those resisting the destruction of state housing all over Aotearoa New Zealand.

ENDS

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