“Tomorrow Cabinet will consider whether Kāinga Ora gets a bailout, after ACT revealed the Government is planning another Healthy Homes Standard extension earlier in the week,” says ACT’s Deputy Leader and Housing spokesperson Brooke van Velden.

“After receiving a leak, ACT revealed in Parliament this week that Cabinet was planning an extension for Kainga Ora beyond the existing 1 July 2023 deadline. A day later, the Housing Minister announced they are considering an extension for all landlords.

“Labour has been caught out. Their plans to quietly announce the extension have been scuppered so they’re in full scramble mode as landlords are rightfully furious.

“Tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting will now be about how they can get through this with the least possible fallout, which is why landlords might also receive an extension now. This will be cold comfort for the many landlords who have already forked out huge amounts of money to meet the standards.

“ACT has scared Labour into giving private landlords a break. This is an enormous victory. Labour will no doubt claim they intended to give all landlords a break all along. If that is so they should produce the evidence. We believe they are now giving private landlords a break because they got caught on the hop.

“These aren’t Healthy Homes Standards, they’re double standards. Private landlords were expected to comply within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy from 1 July 2021. The Government has given itself years and still can’t get up to speed.

“The Government has painted private landlords as villains. The reality is many landlords have had so many regulations and costs piled onto them by the Government, they’ve had no choice but to raise rents.

“It would be better if the Government stopped putting costly regulations onto housing. If people want to upgrade their home, or move to a better rental, they will. If their priorities are elsewhere, they should not be forced to pay because Government regulations insist on it.

“The Government seems to think the Healthy Home Standards they’ve imposed on Kiwi landlords don’t apply to them. The Housing Minister needs to explain why she has such high standards for landlords when she’s not bothering to meet them herself.”

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