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Regional | Christchurch

Māori Development Minister outraged over rental property conditions in Christchurch

The squalid condition of some private rental properties in Christchurch has outraged the Māori Development Minister.

Te Ururoa Flavell has asked Te Puni Kōkiri, fellow Ministers and the Christchurch City Council to look at what assistance they can provide whānau who are living in what he describes as appalling conditions.

Mr Flavell posted a photo on his Facebook page of one of the houses he saw while in Christchurch looking at Ngāi Tahu initiatives, along with the photo he wrote the following message “saw the conditions some of our Māori whānau have to put up with from greedy landlords who rent worse than substandard accommodation to whānau with 4-6 children!!!! Made me damn angry not just at the landlords but also to rental agencies who allow this to happen. I am not going to let this rest!”

He also called for whānau in Christchurch in conditions like this to contact him him and tell him their story.

In a statement released this morning he said, “My first reaction was to name and shame those landlords, particularly those who have had tenants living in substandard conditions for a number of years.”

He went on to say, “There are gaping holes in the floors and walls, no doors to hold the heat in and rats in these houses. These buildings are a disgrace. Landlords are continuing to raise rental costs for whānau often without any improvements to these buildings after the earthquakes.”

The Māori Party would like to see the warrant of fitness they called for on all State-owned houses last year implemented for private rentals.