Ten tenants tell of threats by landlords to evict

Press, 12 April 1984, Page 9

Ten tenants tell of threats by landlords to evict

Ten Christchurch tenants at a meeting of about 50 tenants last evening told the Tenants Protection Association that they had either received eviction notices or had been told that they would be evicted. Two of the 10 said that they had already faced threats of forcible eviction or had been subjected to force.

The meeting was called by the association to explain tenants’ rights under the rent thaw regulations.

Mr Rod Donald, the administrator for the association, advised those faced

with an eviction notice which they suspected arose from a landlord’s desire to increase rent to stay at the flat or house and call for police protection if faced with threats.

One family said that it had left after threats had been made by a landlord because it did not want to risk property damage or assault.

Mr Michael Knowles, a Christchurch lawyer, who was the meeting’s guest speaker, said that it was against the law for any landlord physically to put a tenant “out on the street,” even if the landlord was

legally within his rights under tenancy law. “It is also a crime for him to break into your flat in your absence and put your belongings on the street,” he said.

The legal method to execute eviction was to apply to the court for an order for possession, said Mr Knowles.

The meeting endorsed tenancy proposals which were last week put to the Housing Corporation by the association. The association said the proposals were needed to tighten regulations.