Avonside HNZC tenants’ needs assessed

Housing Minister Phil Heatley, says Housing New Zealand (HNZC) officials will visit nearly 150 Avonside tenants whose properties are affected by broken sewerage drains and wastewater disposal problems, by the end of the week.

"They are discussing options to improve living conditions and making arrangements to move anyone needing to leave because of ongoing problems with sewerage and waste-water disposal," says Mr Heatley.

“No state house tenant will be paying rent for a property judged to be uninhabitable. Tenants in this situation are being, and will continue to be re-housed. Rent reductions and rebates for properties without essential amenities are also being discussed, he said."

Following the Canterbury earthquake HNZC concentrated on the structural soundness and safety of its housing stock.

"Initial checks were made to ensure the physical safety of tenants who chose to stay in their home, now we need to concentrate on the living conditions of tenants and ensure they are acceptable,” says Mr Heatley.

In the last two and a half weeks HNZC has checked nearly all of its 6000 properties in the Canterbury region.

"Initially no one knew how long essential services such as water or sewerage would take to repair. Christchurch City Council has done a fantastic job and all properties now have water. Unfortunately it appears the sewerage and waste water system is going to take longer to repair," says Mr Heatley.

"Clearly the use of portaloos provided by the Council was acceptable as a short-term solution. HNZC staff talked to tenants today and will be assessing their needs on a case-by-case basis with regard to longer term solutions."

"There will be those who choose to stay in their homes and put up with the inconvenience and, as long as it is safe for them to do so, they will be offered a back-dated rent reduction to compensate them for the loss of amenity," says Mr Heatley.

ENDS

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