ActionStation & Renters United Launch Campaign for Renters

Thursday, 20 July 2017, 12:20 pm
Press Release: ActionStation

Hundreds of renting stories gathered as ActionStation and Renters United launch The People’s Review of Renting

20 July 2017 - As winter sets in and people begin to freeze in their homes around the country, ActionStation and Renters United have teamed up to launch a new campaign to improve the lives of renters.

The People’s Review of Renting aims to source hundreds of stories from renters around the country to build a picture of the state of renting in 2017.

“Personal stories cut through the noise of political debate. Stories remind MPs of the impact that their decisions have on us. We can use stories to shift hearts and minds and bring real people, and real solutions, back into focus” said ActionStation campaigner Rick Zwaan.

“Right now, roughly half of the country lives in rentals. Yet many renters feel like second class citizens. Many have to live in places that are cold, unhealthy or unsafe. Others feel insecure in their homes. We urgently need to improve the laws that protect renters. The stories we collect will help bring these issues to the forefront this election,” says Renters United spokesperson Kate Day.

“So far over 200 people have submitted stories. They highlight the challenges and insecurity that too many people currently live with.”

“We need to move the conversation beyond statistics and markets and focus on the real lives of renters and how we can improve them now.”

Over the month of July stories will be collected before being turned into a report with key recommendations backed by academic research showing what needs to be done to ensure everyone can live in warm, dry, safe homes.

People can share their stories at www.actionstation.org.nz/rentingreivew

ENDS

About ActionStation

ActionStation is an independent, crowdfunded community campaigning organisation representing over 160,000 New Zealanders acting together to create what we cannot achieve on our own: a society, economy and democracy that serves all of us - everyday people and the planet we love.

About us: www.actionstation.org.nz

About Renters United

Renters United is an advocacy group working on behalf of tenants in the private rental market. We campaign for all renters to have safe, affordable and secure homes and a voice in the decisions that affect them. Most of our members are private renters in Wellington; we also have supporters who rent in other parts of the country or who own homes.

About us: www.rentersunited.org.nz

© Scoop Media