Author: Press Room
Tenants have more control in New Zealand’s rental market than they have had for a while.With rents soft and more options to choose from, it’s not a bad time to be looking for a place to live.But do you know the rules your landlord has to abide by?Recent Tenancy Tribunal rulings show some are still getting it wrong.Turn up unannouncedLandlords can’t just turn up to their rental properties without giving notice. They need to give 48 hours’ notice for things like inspections and 24 hours’ notice for repairs or maintenance. If they don’t, they can have exemplary damages awarded against…
A pig farm in Waikato has been hit with the largest fine in the 34-year history of the Resource Management Act after repeatedly discharging raw effluent into streams feeding the Waihou River. Rawhiti Environmental Park was fined $437,000 in the Hamilton District Court last week after being convicted on eight charges. The penalty followed months of persistent non-compliance, with Waikato Regional Council officers conducting 50 inspections of the farm between February and October 2023.During more than half of those visits, untreated effluent was found spilling from the farm’s infrastructure onto surrounding land and into the headwaters of the Patuwhao and…
Homeowners planning to build or renovate will soon face new protections and new rules as the Government confirms mandatory home warranties, insurance requirements for designers and tougher penalties for builders under sweeping building system reforms.Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk also confirmed the current liability model will be scrapped in favour of one which means each party will only be responsible for mistakes they made.”Right now, councils can be hesitant to sign off on the building projects New Zealand needs because they risk being held fully liable for defects they did not cause, to the tune of millions of dollars,”…
Emergency services are working to find a man reported missing in Lake Roto Kohatu in Christchurch since last night. Police were notified of a man needing assistance in the lake near Johns Rd just before 7pm yesterday. This morning, Search and Rescue teams were in the area with assistance from the Dive Squad.”Members of the public can expect to see an increased police presence around the area today,” a police spokesperson said.
National’s announcement that it would push up contribution rates for KiwiSaver to a total 12% is a good step — but there is a major flaw that needs fixing first, one KiwiSaver provider says.Prime Minister and National leader Christopher Luxon said on Sunday that if it was re-elected next year, the party would gradually increase KiwiSaver contributions to match the Australian 12% rate by 2032, with 6% contributions from both employers and employees.It has already started a process to increase the default rate to 4% plus 4% by April 1, 2028.”Smaller retirement balances present a challenge for New Zealand as…
A Nelson mother whose Kāinga Ora home was declared “uninhabitable” after extensive mould was found in the roof space says she is considering moving into a tent after being shifted to another property she says is also riddled with mould.Alyssa Lennon has been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This week, she contacted Fair Go in frustration.She said the issues began as soon as the family of four moved into their first Kāinga Ora home after years on the waiting list.An asthmatic, Lennon was admitted to hospital in February with breathing problems.”From needing my asthma inhaler maybe four times…
Two people have been rescued after falling off a cliff at a beach in Auckland’s St Heliers last night. Fire and Emergency assistant commander Barry Thomas told 1News emergency services were called to reports of the fall from the cliff in Gentleman’s Bay shortly after 9pm. Gentleman’s Bay is located at the coastal edge of the suburb of St Heliers, halfway between Achilles Point and West Tamaki Point. Warnings issued after pair fall off Auckland cliff prompting rescue – watch on TVNZ+He said there was a “multi-agency response” including police Eagle helicopter, St John teams, a FENZ lines team from…
A Queenstown home made with materials evoking a shearing shed has taken a trifecta of national accolades at this year’s House of the Year Awards. Velvin Building was named the winner of the national supreme house of the year over $1 million award at the 2025 Master Builders House of the Year Awards for its work on the “Covered Yards” property in Kelvin Heights. The 450sqm, three-storey, five-bedroom home also won the national kitchen excellence award and topped the national new home $2m-$4m category, as well as winning five regional awards. Velvin Building owner and director Joe Velvin-Turner said the…
As many as 30% of people who are making withdrawals from their KiwiSaver funds for hardship reasons are taking all of their available money.Hardship withdrawals have increased substantially in recent years as cost-of-living pressure has gone on households.It was raised as a concern by Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson in her latest three-yearly review of retirement income policy.In the year to June, 45,000 people accessed their KiwiSaver funds early because of financial hardship, compared to about 18,000 five years ago.The average withdrawal was about $10,000.Wrightson said it could have a lasting effect on a person’s retirement outcomes. “In some cases, the…
“It’s about being heard.” And that is why Anja Klinkert is such a fan of collaborative law to resolve disputes, rather than the more traditional path of litigation. First introduced in 1990, collaborative law is increasingly being used to manage the emotional, legal and financial aspects of separation, along with resolving estate, family business and employment disputes. There are now more than 50 trained collaborative professionals in New Zealand, including Ms Klinkert, a collaborative lawyer and mediator, and financial planner and divorce coach Dominique Bergel-Grant. The pair wanted to educate people that there was an alternative to resolve conflict “rather…