Gerry Brownlees answer to the Rental Crisis in Christchhurch he said is "Leave It To The Market." The rental housing shortage in Christchurch is at Crisis point agencies say. We have seen the average asking rent go up 15% in CHCH well ahead of the National increase of 4% Landlords are fielding a 42% increase in inquiries and rental listings have dived 40% compared wih last year.People are being forced back into unfit for habitation homes as landlords increase rents capitalising on others needs and misery.

Some of the hardest hit people sleep in garages cars, tents and have moved into damaged red-zoned homes while others face homelessness. A winter in Christchurch can be hard on those in comfort let alone stressed redzone homeowners and the plight of many means displaced residents could beome the citys next homeless community.

What is Housing NZ doing about repairing State Houses.Hundreds are boarded up.Christchurch City Council and Housing NZ Should be leading by example not leaving it to the market. Surplus Housing NZ land should be turned over to community housing groups. The Government gets a dividend from Housing NZ Why not invest that into community housing.?

"Surplus Housing NZ land should be turned over to community housing groups. The Government gets a dividend from Housing NZ Why not invest that into community housing.?"


Yes...but that would make sense. They don't DO sensible..

Don't put all the blame on landlords!! Talking to an estate agent it seems to me that it is not the landlords who are raising the prices. According to the agent, when he has a house to rent, people who are desperate for housing will offer above the asking price in the hope of securing housing. It then becomes like a Dutch auction, with people offering more and more.

OKK, Our Grownups friends were told by their landlord that he wanted to sell up. They were shattered as they were longtime renters of this property and had put their roots down so as to speak getting involved in their local community. He put up a for sale sign and our friends could not find a comparable property so had to move out of city. The landlord took the property off the market and creamed his previous rental to GERRYS FREE MARKET and let it again. This is not the norm but it is reported as happening here in Christchurch.