7th June 2012

MEDIA RELEASE. MONTE CECILIA HOUSING TRUST.

“Failing, Faceless HNZC Call Centres a disgrace”

The “beefed up” Call Centres introduced by Housing New Zealand in April 2012 are failing to meet the needs of tenants or homeless families seeking urgent assistance. Customers including existing tenants, the homeless and advocates are waiting for up to 40 minutes to have their calls answered. There is nothing smarter, faster or fairer about this kind of service!

Monte Cecilia Housing Trust’s David Zussman comments that : “We no longer have confidence that Housing New Zealand can deliver an efficient or consistent service to meet the needs of those in urgent need of assistance.”

The Call Centres were rolled out in April 2012 with a fanfare of assurances that they would lead to an improved service. HNZC have failed to back up these claims and have offered weak and meaningless excuses and assurances in an attempt to justify a flawed approach to meeting their responsibilities as a social housing provider.

“The Minister of Houses dismisses these concerns as being operational issues, and refuses to front up and meet with community groups who want to express their extreme disappointment in how his reforms have been introduced” adds a frustrated David Zussman.

© Scoop Media