Saturday, January 28, 2023
Market-Reporter
  • Home
  • Markets
    • U.S. Markets
    • Canada
    • Europe & Middle East
    • Emerging Markets
    • Asia
    • Latin America
  • Investing
    • Stocks
    • IPOs
    • Mutual Funds
    • ETFs
    • Bonds
    • Commodities
    • Currencies
    • Cryptocurrencies
  • Economy & Politics
    • Personal Finance
    • Spending & Saving
    • Retirement
    • Real Estate
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Markets
    • U.S. Markets
    • Canada
    • Europe & Middle East
    • Emerging Markets
    • Asia
    • Latin America
  • Investing
    • Stocks
    • IPOs
    • Mutual Funds
    • ETFs
    • Bonds
    • Commodities
    • Currencies
    • Cryptocurrencies
  • Economy & Politics
    • Personal Finance
    • Spending & Saving
    • Retirement
    • Real Estate
No Result
View All Result
Market-Reporter
No Result
View All Result
Home Real Estate

Employees of top Wellington real estate company own $870 a week rental that’s falling apart | 1 NEWS

MtR by MtR
June 19, 2021
in Real Estate
0


The first set of regulations for Healthy Homes Standards come into force in just two weeks, but there’s concern some homes will still not be up to scratch. 1 NEWS has discovered a group of Wellington renters have been living with holes in their bathroom floor and a bug infestation. 

The smell of dampness and decay hits as soon as you walk in the door.

A group of Wellington renters have been living with holes in their bathroom floor and a bug infestation.
Source: 1 NEWS

Related articles

Investment in overseas real estate surges : The DONG-A ILBO

August 11, 2022

Global anxiety over Chinese real estate crisis

August 10, 2022

Not only is this Newtown flat mouldy and damp, a group of women have been living with holes in their bathroom floor for more six months – something that was promised to be fixed by mid-March.

The home is rented for $870 per week as a four-bedroom house. Property websites OneRoof and homes.co.nz list the home as a two-bedroom property.

Piper Clare and Samantha Brown told 1 NEWS they felt like they’d hit brick walls every time they asked for things to be fixed.

“It doesn’t seem to be an urgent problem to them,” Clare said.

One of the four flatmates who did not want to be identified also received blisters from a suspected lax beetle infestation.

One flatmate, who did not want to be identified, received blisters from a suspected lax beetle infestation.
Source: Supplied


The beetles are attracted to rotten wood and leak fluid onto human skin if they come into contact with it.

“She couldn’t sit down properly for a while, she had to stand or lie on her back because it hurt too much to sit,” Brown said.

The blisters became infected while healing. It meant the woman had to take a course of antibiotics prescribed by her doctor.

Since the women lodged a complaint about the house to the company managing it, 1 NEWS understands the business has said it will reimburse the tenant for her medical bills, telling the women it was “unfortunate” the tenant had suffered the blisters.

The property is managed by boutique Wellington realty business Lowe & Co.

1 NEWS can reveal the owners of the property both work for the company, too.

When the Victoria University of Wellington students signed the tenancy agreement in December 2020, an additional agreement was signed with the property manager stating the holes in the bathroom floor would be fixed “within the first three months of the tenancy”.

As of June 18, 2021, the holes still had not been fixed.

Holes on the floor of the bathroom in a Wellington flat.
Source: 1 NEWS


After filing a complaint to Lowe & Co about the myriad of issues, the women were told the company could not locate anywhere in writing an agreement regarding the holes, and that the property manager did not recall it.

It was only after enquiries from 1 NEWS that the company acknowledged the document did exist, but insisted the problem “has not been ignored” bur rather had “not been dealt with in a timely way, partly for reasons beyond our control” citing a builder who failed to show up.

Lowe & Co says it is working to find a solution now, with a second contractor hired to repair the bathroom.

Clare said during his recent visit, the contractor was worried about someone falling through the rotting wood.

“He said that the whole bathroom needed to be replaced and to not stand on the floor because he was afraid one of us would fall through.”

Other problems in the bathroom include cracks in the shower wall, with the structure moving to the touch.

Also listed in the tenants’ complaint was having to throw clothes out after they’d gone mouldy.

Your playlist will load after this ad

A suspected lax beetle infestation has left one person with blisters.
Source: 1 NEWS


The company said it did not find this acceptable, but also noted “this is a Wellington risk which requires tenant management”.

1 NEWS also understands it has offered to reimburse the tenant with the beetle blisters, as she threw her bedding out after the incident.

Another issue was a frequent leak from part of the ceiling near the kitchen. The girls leave towels down on the floor permanently as a result of this.

The company, again, said this was not acceptable, but that the issue was “under action”.

There is also a rodent problem. A pest controller also recently visited the home and found rat droppings in the ceiling.

The women had previously spotted mice in the home, so assumed the noises late at night were from those.

Piper Clare and Samantha Brown live in a Wellington flat that’s falling apart.
Source: 1 NEWS


Clare and Brown claim the pest controller audibly said “gross” in response to what he found in the ceiling and that “you don’t usually get both of them [rats and mice]”.

He also pointed to a gap between the guttering and the roof which was close to tree branches as the possibly entry point for the rodents.

Ashok Jacob of Renters United said that the house was “obviously contrary to human health”.

“These sorts of places are crying out to be regulated because they’re harming so many people.”

He said it wasn’t just students who had to live in houses like this, but professionals and families too.

“The reality is in Wellington and all over the country, people with families are still living in places like this because of the state of properties in our country,” he told 1 NEWS.

The girls say they’ve been asked by Lowe & Co if they want to move out. The company says there will be no fee for breaking the lease early.

It also told 1 NEWS it accepts responsibility for the way the property has been managed, indicating there has since been a change in property manager recently.

The girls say moving out would place another problem on their hands: finding a new rental property.

It took them five months to find the one they’re currently having so many problems with.

“It just feels like a huge power imbalance. It feels like we can’t do anything and they’re in charge and they know they have an upper hand on us so they won’t do anything about it.

“We know flats in Wellington aren’t exactly the best, but if they fixed these things it would be liveable.”

The company has also offered to waive rent for the amount of time it takes for the bathroom renovations to be carried out – estimated at around three weeks.

It will also pay for any moving costs incurred.

1 NEWS described the state of the house as it was on June 16, 2021 to the Minister for Building and Construction Poto Williams.

In response, she said: “Nobody should be living in these conditions.”

The first set of regulations for the Healthy Homes Standard come into force in just two weeks.

From July, all private rental properties will have to meet the Healthy Homes regulations within 90 days of any new tenancy, including tenancy renewals.

read more

The implications of the new compulsory healthy homes standards for renters and tenants

The women have filed a complaint with the Tenancy Services Compliance and Investigations Team, after filing a 14-day notice for the issues to be fixed.

The team can use a number of interventions and enforcement activities to make sure landlords comply with their obligations under the Act.

Additional reporting by Nichola Scarlett.

If you know anything more about this story, please contact 1 NEWS reporter Imogen Wells – imogen.wells@tvnz.co.nz



Source link

Related Posts

Investment in overseas real estate surges : The DONG-A ILBO

by MtR
August 11, 2022
0

Ms. Kim in her 50s plans to go on a field survey to New York to see a studio condominium...

Global anxiety over Chinese real estate crisis

by MtR
August 10, 2022
0

The world’s second largest economy might have a real estate crisis looming. If that reverberates over to it’s globally-wired-in financial...

Health Care Real Estate Company Names New GC Ahead of Possible IPO

by MtR
August 10, 2022
0

Irvine, California-based real estate investment trust American Healthcare REIT has hired a new general counsel, less than a month after...

A day in the life of a Blackstone real estate associate

by MtR
August 10, 2022
0

Day in the life: Serena, Real Estate Management Associate at Blackstone, London Serena graduated from Cambridge University with a degree...

Boardwalk Real Estate: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

by MtR
August 10, 2022
0

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) _ Boardwalk Real Estate Investment Trust (BOWFF) on Tuesday reported a key measure of profitability in its...

Load More
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Bank of England tells ministers to intervene on digital currency ‘programming’

June 21, 2021

Tips for checking smoke alarms during daylight saving time

March 12, 2022

GLOBAL MARKETS-U.S. stocks follow Europe up; Treasury yields rise, dollar firm

July 9, 2021

What will Durham County education bonds pay for? A full list

July 8, 2022
African currencies week ahead: Zambia's kwacha seen on back foot, Kenyan shilling up – Business Recorder

African currencies week ahead: Zambia's kwacha seen on back foot, Kenyan shilling up – Business Recorder

0
Maxum Foods releases Global Dairy Commodity Update for June

Maxum Foods releases Global Dairy Commodity Update for June

0
Letter: Perpetual bonds can help states fight hunger

Letter: Perpetual bonds can help states fight hunger

0
United Kingdom ETFs Are Riding the Re-Opening Momentum

United Kingdom ETFs Are Riding the Re-Opening Momentum

0

Investment in overseas real estate surges : The DONG-A ILBO

August 11, 2022

U.S. inflation CPI report, Wall Street, currencies

August 10, 2022

Alberta oil production set new record in first half of 2022

August 10, 2022

Industrial Lubricants Market to Reach $71 Billion by 2027.

August 10, 2022

Recent News

Investment in overseas real estate surges : The DONG-A ILBO

August 11, 2022

U.S. inflation CPI report, Wall Street, currencies

August 10, 2022

Alberta oil production set new record in first half of 2022

August 10, 2022

Categories

  • Asia
  • Bonds
  • Canada
  • Commodities
  • Cryptocurrencies
  • Currencies
  • Emerging Markets
  • ETFs
  • Europe & Middle East
  • IPOs
  • Latin America
  • Mutual Funds
  • Personal Finance
  • Real Estate
  • Retirement
  • Spending & Saving
  • Stocks
  • U.S. Markets
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise with us

© 2021 Copyright Market-Reporter

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Markets
    • U.S. Markets
    • Canada
    • Europe & Middle East
    • Emerging Markets
    • Asia
    • Latin America
  • Investing
    • Stocks
    • IPOs
    • Mutual Funds
    • ETFs
    • Bonds
    • Commodities
    • Currencies
    • Cryptocurrencies
  • Economy & Politics
    • Personal Finance
    • Spending & Saving
    • Retirement
    • Real Estate

© 2021 Copyright Market-Reporter