Media Statement For immediate release Friday, 25 July, 2003

Alexander: Tenants Assn should back good tenants

The Tenants Protection Association would have more credibility if it encouraged good tenants rather than make excuses and give misplaced sympathy to bad tenants, United Future's Marc Alexander said today.

"The association has come out shooting at Christchurch landlord Sue Evans and myself today, but unfortunately they've completely missed the point," Mr Alexander said.

"Yes, it is very sad that a family with three teenage girls no longer has a home, but let's get down to tin-tacks here - they would have a home today if their parents had been more responsible.

"So rather than blame everyone else, let's see a little bit of individual responsibility being taken here," Mr Alexander said. "The family, who by their own admission have a history as bad tenants, cannot go running around looking for people to blame when it backfires on them.

"And I repeat, while I don't back anyone taking the law into their own hands, I have complete sympathy for the position many landlords find themselves in.

"The Tenants Protection Association concedes that the tenants gave a false reference and failed to mention a whopping $1500 debt in arrears from a previous rental, and yet they still want to back them.

"Perhaps the association would like to tell us all just what level of ripping off of landlords would be unacceptable to them," Mr Alexander said.

Ends.

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