Many complaints over rent arrears

Press, 21 May 1987, Page 31

Many complaints over rent arrears

The Housing Corporation’s Tenancy Bond Division has dealt with more than 200 disputes between landlords and tenants since February 1. According to Mr Philip Pigou, the division’s Christchurch manager, an increasing trend has been the number of disputes over rent arrears.

Sixty of the 173 disputes since the beginning of March have been terminations of rental agreements because of rent arrears, he said. The division has little detail of the 65 disputes handled during February but since then, 62 of the 238 disputes have gone to the Tenancy Tribunal. Throughout New Zealand there have been 1000 tribunal hearings since February 1. In March, there were 82 applications? for Hisputes to be setrred by

the division. Forty-four went to mediation with division officials, and 41 were successfully mediated with landlord and tenant coming to an agreement. Another 28 went to the tribunal, 13 of which are still in progress. Of the 82 disputes handled, 54 were from landlords and 28 from tenants.

Forty-two were termination of agreements because of rent arrears.

In April, 91 applications for hearing of disputes were received by the division.

Again, landlords were the majority of those making complaints. Sixty complaints came from landlords and 31 from tenants. There were 36 terminations of agreements and 31 of those were fo&rent arrears. A