This Bill has been introduced to Parliament and if any of you wish to make a submission please read the following:
The Bill has been referred to the Social Services and Community Select Committee. The Committee has called for public submissions on the Bill – submissions close on Wednesday 25 March 2020.
Here is a link to the Parliament website where you can make a submission. The page includes links to the text of the Bill and the First Reading speeches. Information on how to make submissions to select committees can be found here: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/how-to-make-a-submission/.
The Bill will:
- Remove a landlord’s ability to use no cause terminations to end a periodic tenancy agreement and require landlords to use a justified reason to end a periodic tenancy, including new provisions to respond to anti-social behaviour.
- Mandate that fixed-term tenancy agreements must become periodic tenancy agreements upon expiry unless both parties agree otherwise, or certain conditions apply.
- Increase financial penalties and give the Regulator new tools to take direct action against parties who are not meeting their obligations.
- Allow for identifying details to be anonymised in situations where a party has been wholly or substantially successful in taking a case to the Tenancy Tribunal.
- Ensure that tenants can add minor changes such as brackets to secure furniture and appliances against earthquake risk, baby proof the property, install visual fire alarms and doorbells, and hang pictures.
- Prohibit the solicitation of rental bids by landlords and limit rent increases to once every twelve months.
The Bill also includes additional Ultra-fast Broadband proposals to:
- Improve the process for the installation of fibre in rental properties by requiring landlords to permit and facilitate the installation of Ultra-fast Broadband, subject to specific triggers and exemptions.
The following links include further information on the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development website: www.hud.govt.nz/RTA-Reforms. https://www.hud.govt.nz/news-and-resources/proactive-releases/. There are frequently asked questions and proactive release material available.
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