27th September 2006

Easier life for West Christchurch landlords and tenants

A new deal from the government is making things easier for landlords and tenants in West Christchurch.

The government is changing its delivery of tenancy services to make it easier for landlords and tenants to get advice and to resolve disputes without having to travel far for an appointment, and in some cases without having to leave home at all.

Wigram MP Jim Anderton says West Christchurch people will now be able to make face-to-face appointments in Hornby. Also, people in North Canterbury will have new offices in Rangiora and Amberley.

"These new offices are among 17 new locations opening up around the country, bringing to 85 the number of centres where landlords and tenants can get advice and sort out problems," said Jim Anderton.

People can also call 0800 TENANCY (0800 83 62 62) for fast and free advice between 8:00am and 5:30pm on weekdays.

Other improvements include a new phone mediation service aiming to resolve ordinary disputes in a day, using the Internet for Tenancy Tribunal forms, and plans to update the Residential Tenancies Act in 2007 to clarify people's rights and responsibilities after a big consultation process last year.

Jim Anderton said changes to the Act would be good for both landlords and tenants in the growing residential rentals market.

"Landlords want to be able to claw back reasonable debt collection costs incurred in enforcing Tenancy Tribunal orders, and tenants want their landlords to be straight-up if they intend turfing them out at the end of a fixed-term tenancy."

"Improvements to the law, as well as the greater access to these important services, will create a fairer and better rental market in West Christchurch ," said Jim Anderton.

ENDS

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