Call for blacklist of bad tenants

Press, 16 September 1987, Page 1

Call for blacklist of bad tenants

By

GLEN PERKINSON

Christchurch landlords have called for erring tenants to be blacklisted. Mr Jim Glass, the president of the Christchurch Property Investors’ Association, said yesterday that tenants whom landlords considered “incorrigible” should be listed so landlords' could avoid leasing properties to them. The association wants the Tenancy Bond Division of the Housing Corporation to build ' the list up, but the division said it was not its place to police tenants.

Mr Glass said the high risk tenants were numerous and the association would favour a list naming them. The list would not contain names of tenants who had strayed once but those of persistent offenders. He referred to those tenants who did “runners” with outstanding rent money or left properties severely damaged. The association knew of many tenants who moved from' place to place and left rents owing or a trail of destruction behind them. A list would be only for constant reoffenders because

“housing is such a critical issue that If we had an all-pervasive system that listed a tenant with one single transgression, it would make it difficult for many to get housing,” Mr Glass said. The “incorrigible” tenant was raising the cost of rental housing for the majority, he said. “It is adding to the cost of the industry and these people are just making it more expensive for everyone to rent.” He said a list run by the division would be effective. The association had a list which was compiled by its members but

was not extensively used because it was not comprehensive. A more comprehensive list would see more landlords referring to it At present landlords could run credit checks on tenants for about $5 but many were prepared to take the risk of striking one of the minority “incorrigibles.” Mr Philip Pigou, the manager of the Christchurch bond division said there would be “numerous problems with a bad tenant list.” He questioned the criteria of such a list and what party would make the judgment as to

what bad tenant names would go on the list Debt collection agencies would hold the names of tenants with outstanding rent debts and if a tenant was prone to bad rent payments it was likely he or she was also a bad debtor in other areas and therefore the name would be with an agency. “Even if landlords find that an inappropriate place to discover tenant history, I feel the division is also not appropriate,” Mr Pigou said. “That is because of our need to have an independent profile on the rental market”