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Auckland rents to go up after flooding, property investors body says

Published

4 years ago

February 2, 2023

Expect Auckland rents to go up as remedial work to flood-damaged properties affects supply and demand, an investors body is warning.

President of the Auckland Property Investors Association Kristin Sutherland said the rent hikes were not landlords using the last week’s severe flooding events to make more profit, but simply market forces at work.

Her comments come as Auckland Emergency Management Duty Controller Rachel Kelleher today said assessment teams had so far issued 175 red stickers to and 760 yellow stickers to flood damaged properties across Auckland.

A red stickered property does not necessarily need to be bowled, Kelleher said, but it was uninhabitable until remedial work was done.

The group was aiming to get through about 700 to 1000 property assessments a day.

Sutherland told Checkpoint it was hard to get a handle on the number of rentals hit by flooding in the city, but said anecdotally “a good proportion” of her organisation’s members had been affected.

As a result, the cost of renting would inevitably increase.

Families across Auckland are already struggling with a cost-of-living crisis as inflation continues to bump up the price of everyday items, like food and fuel.

“We are going to have the supply and demand issue,” Sutherland said.

“So we will have a shortage of supply of rentals for a period of time just while these repairs are undertaken. And I think it just needs understanding from landlords and from tenants that that will be the case and we may see some increased rent for that period of time.

“I’m not in a position to say whether it’s fair or not. It’s the same in any market when the supply and demand changes. I don’t think landlords are out there to make an extra buck.

“At the end of the day, they’re in there just trying to do the best by their tenants really, and offer properties to people. And if if the rental price has changed during that time, then that is the market.”

Reduced rent was an option open to tenants if they remained in property damaged by flooding, but that was a negotiation between tenants and landlords themselves, based in individual circumstances, she said.

Landlords did have a legal obligation to aid tenants in a rental home damaged by the flooding by drying it out and she encouraged landlords to do so.

Consumer NZ said for rentals which had been damaged but were still inhabitable, the rent should be reduced. Alternatively, the landlord or tenant could apply to the tenancy tribunal to end the tenancy.

“There’s no black and white, written-down rules about this, really – even the insurers and the Residential Tenancies Act, disagree on the definition of what’s uninhabitable,” Sutherland said.

“And actually, the Residential Tenancies Act doesn’t even have a definition of ‘inhabitable’ in there. So what I would encourage landlords to do is to do all they can to make premises habitable for tenants. If they can’t, then it’s working with your insurer and your tenant to make sure that firstly, everyone’s safe, and that the damage to property, both yours and the tenant’s, is minimised.”

She said landlords should get in there and help ensure tenants can stay in the property.

“I’ve been in there with my husband, and we’ve ripped out carpets, we’ve been drying floors, we’re doing wet, dry vacuuming,” she said.

“So if landlords are in a position to do that, I really do encourage you to get in and help as much as you can.”

She had waited on the phone for two-and-a-half hours before her insurers accidentally hung up on her, and then waited a further two hours to get through and finally reported her claim to get the process going, she said.

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment head of tenancy services Steve Watson told Checkpoint if properties were completely uninhabitable the tenancy or rent should cease from the date that the premises are deemed uninhabitable.

The process of claiming a rent reduction was reached through an agreement between a tenant and landlord, but if no agreement could be reached people could apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to get a rent adjudication on that, he said.

“We would encourage people to talk to each other in the first instance. But the Tenancy Services is here to provide advice through our website and service centre and also a mediation service. Then you can also apply to the Tenancy Tribunal if that doesn’t work.”

Landlords are responsible for all drying out the property and this includes any costs associated with the drying process, including the cost of electricity.

Landlords are not responsible for any damage flooding has caused to tenants’ belongings.

Source: RNZ

Latest News

Police say person who fired gun at officers still at large

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2026

News Staff

Police say a person who fired a gun at officers in Napier is still at large.

Eastern District Commander Superintendent Joel Lamb said Police tried to stop a vehicle in the Pirimai Area at about 10pm on Tuesday.

He said someone in the back seat pointed what was presumed to be a firearm at officers pursuing the vehicle.

“Staff have then heard two distinct gunshots as the firearm was discharged.

“Fortunately, neither of our officers were injured, and the patrol vehicle did not sustain any damage.”

He said hours later, the vehicle was seen travelling north on the Waikato Expressway towards Auckland.

Police seized the vehicle at an address in Manurewa, but they had not found the alleged offender.

Lamb said people who lived at the Manurewa address were engaging with Police.

He said Eastern District and Counties Manukau Police were making enquiries.

“Presenting a firearm at a Police officer is a serious escalation that puts our staff and the wider community at risk. This behaviour is entirely unacceptable.

“We are taking this incident extremely seriously and will be pursuing all lines of enquiry to locate the offender and hold them accountable.”

Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident to contact Police on 105 or online using the reference number 261111/3764.

Information could also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

rnz

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New Zealand sides named for RLWC finals

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2026

News Staff

The players tasked with ending Australia’s Rugby League World Cup dominance have been named.

The Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns have announced their squads for this Sunday’s World Cup finals in Brisbane.

Both sides are chasing their first titles since 2008, and both are looking to end their opponents run of three crowns in a row.

“Our Kiwi Ferns have been so dominant in years gone by, and we want to bring dominance back to this jersey, so I think it will be a case of who wants it more,” said co-captain Georgia Hale of the impending clash.

The Kiwis get a major boost for the final as they welcome back Ronaldo Mulitalo after he served a one-match ban for a high tackle against Fiji Bati.

Mulitalo replaces Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who moves to the six-man bench, which again includes utility Te Maire Martin, middle forwards Naufahu Whyte, Erin Clark and Xavier Willison plus fullback Keano Kini.

Loose forward Joseph Tapine will make his 30th Test appearance in a familiar pack again, including second-rowers Isaiah Papali’i and Briton Nikora, and props James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota.

Winger Jamayne Isaako is on the cusp of claiming the New Zealand record for most Test points.

His five goals against Tonga lifted his career points tally to 225 – level with Shaun Johnson – while centre Casey McLean goes into the final with 16 tries in just eight Tests.

Fisher-Harris will again captain the team.

Fullback Ponga said the goal of the group was clear.

“We have high expectations around what we want to achieve, and obviously winning a world Cup is one of them.”

Meanwhile, Ricky Henry has selected a settled side to take on the Jillaroos, led by their lethal centre combination of Stacey Waaka and Mele Hufanga.

Veteran Apii Nicholls takes the number one jersey, Leianne Tufuga and Mackenzie Wiki on the wings.

Henry has stuck with his halves pairing of Chantay Kiria-Ratu and Raecene McGregor with Alexis Tauaneai, Georgia Hale and Otesa Pule up front.

Rounding out the starting pack is Shaniece Monschau, Kaiyah Atai, and Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa.

“We have been building well throughout the tournament; we understand the Jillaroos side, and will give it our all to make New Zealand proud this weekend,” said Henry.

RLWC Finals:

Kiwi Ferns vs Jillaroos- 6.10pm

Kiwis vs Kangaroos – 9.35pm

Sunday November 15

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Live blog updates on RNZ

Kiwi Ferns:

1. Apii Nicholls 2. Leianne Tufuga 3. Mele Hufanga 4. Stacey Waaka 5. Mackenzie Wiki 6. Chantay Kiria-Ratu 7. Raecene McGregor 8. Alexis Tauaneai 9. Georgia Hale 10. Otesa Pule 11. Shaniece Monschau 12. Kaiyah Atai 13. Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa.

Interchange: 14. Ashleigh Quinlan 15. Annessa Biddle 16. Shannon Mato 17. Ivana Lauitiiti.

Reserves: 18. Brooke Anderson 19. Zahara Temara 20. Brianna Clark 21. Abigail Roache 22. Tenika Willison.

Kiwis:

1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Jamayne Isaako, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Casey McLean, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Kodi Nikorima, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. James Fisher-Harris (c), 9. Jeremy Marshall-King, 10. Moses Leota, 11. Isaiah Papali’i, 12. Briton Nikora, 13. Joseph Tapine (v/c).

Interchange: 14. Te Maire Martin, 15. Naufahu Whyte, 16. Erin Clark, 17. Xavier Willison.

Reserves: 18. Keano Kini, 19. Phoenix Crossland, 20. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 21. Scott Sorensen, 22. Leo Thompson.

rnz

Latest News

Parliamentary Service working on extra chairs and offices for increased number of MPs

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2026

News Staff

The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.

On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.

Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.

In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.

“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.

“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”

Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Service Rafael Gonzalez-Montero appears before select committee. — Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero.

VNP / Phil Smith

Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.

That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.

“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.

Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.

Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.

The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.

Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.

Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.

“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”

Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.

rnz