Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol. 38, No. 18. July 23rd 1975
Tenants fight Council rent rises
Tenants fight Council rent rises
As a result of Council Tenants action, the Combined Association of Council Tenants met at the Y.W.C.A. on July 19th. Invited were Mayor Fowler, M.P. O'Brien, Cr Foot, Chairman of the Housing Committee and the news media. Several other councillors and political candidates also attended. About 300 tenants were present, on their own behalf and on behalf of neighbours who for various reasons could not be present. Petitions circulated prior to the meeting showed overwhelming opposition among tenants against the rent hike of up to 25%, and the general conditions of the flats. The tenants concerned occupy the Granville, Rintoul St. Hanson Court, Newtown Park and Central Park complexes.
M.P. for the area (Island Bay) Mr G. O'Brien had promised a delegation of approx. 100 tenants his support, when approached at Parliament on July 9th. He had previously supported tenants in April when the Council proposed a 40% rent increase. The meeting was given a good start when he was clapped and cheered on arrival and the Mayor and councillors were greated with silence and booing.
At a conservative estimate at least 40% of the tenants will experience extreme hardship with the increased rents. Many already pay over ΒΌ of their income to the council and with the increase due on August 4th this will increase many tenants rent to over 1/3 of their income. All age groups are affected, solo parents, pensioners, beneficiaries and low-income workers being the tenants. The budget gave, but the council and the rising cost of living takes even more. We are worse off than ever.
Council's reasons for raising the rents up to 25% are 'increased maintenance and overhead costs' and 'the critical state of the Housing Account.' Yet, in our tenancy agreements we the tenants are responsible for maintenance inside and outside our flats and many cannot afford insurance for windows etc, which the Council, unlike many private landlords, does not cover. We feel that the council is wrongly attempting to equate our rentals with the private speculative sector of housing.
The Government gave the council low interest loans to build housing for 'needy' people and after 40 years the city will have 20 years income at least to profit on, yet we today have to pay Now for new council flats. Mr O'Brien said it is time for the council to change their policy on housing and the tenants agree. We feel council housing should not be profit motivated.
A council tenant when allocated a flat is confronted with the task of providing everything but a stove. There are no floor coverings except for a tiny area of lino in kitchen and bathroom. Furnishings mean Hire Purchase on an already strictly means tested person. There are poor washing and drying facilities and children have nowhere to play. Size is the legal minimum per person and Granville flats have no windows in their bathroom or kitchen. The lack of facilities was tolerable when rents were lower especially compared to the conditions many of us previously lived in, but with the rent hike tenants are reaching toleration limits. Many just cannot pay.
Mr F is on a benefit with a pregnant wife and an income of $58.90 p.w. Their rent will increase from $16.00 to $21.00 p.w. This is for a one bedroom unit, they cannot afford two-bedrooms and cannot afford the rent increase.
The W's are pensioners but instead of having to pay the $0.50 increase p.w. for pensioners they will be required to pay $5.00 p.w. as pensioner units were full when they were granted a flat.
A couple were recently granted a one bedroomed unit, the wife pregnant, but they have had to pay the new rental one month before everyone else. Another couple after 9 months tenancy are still living on concrete floors in bedroom and living area as they cannot afford flooring let alone increased rent.
It is council policy with a solo parent and child, that if the child is of a different sex to the parent then a two-bedroom unit is applicable when the child is five. With a child of the same sex the age of ten is required before the parent can sleep alone. One mother shares a room with a girl of 15 and the council have not granted her a two-bedroom unit in the 4 years she has been a tenant. She could not afford the increase anyway. One tenant expressed at the meeting a widely held view, 'We would rather have $6 million spent on housing than on a new Town Hall.' Where do the priorities of this council lie?
At the meeting tenants were informed of 3 avenues where help might come.
1. | We can apply to the council for a rent rebate or a lessened increase where hardship can be shown. We cannot see the council granting a rebate especially in the light of other tenants experiences with last year's increase. For example, last year an elderly man with a sick wife was granted his application against the rent increase. This year he is being asked for the new increase plus last year's increase as well!! A solo parent with 3 preschool children was refused her appeal. We have little faith in the council here. As for showing hardship, council tenants are in the hardship arena before they ever get a flat and conditions of living may improve but the income ratio to rent and other bills usually worsens. |
2. | For those on fixed incomes we can apply to the Government i.e. the Dept. of Social Welfare, for special assistance. Almost all tenants who are eligible receive this anyway and cannot receive more. There are also people who are not on fixed incomes who cannot get special assistance and are on reduced incomes from the present economic circumstances. |
3. | We can appeal to the Rent Appeal Board. We have been advised not to do this as we fear comparison with the private sector not the state sector. |
What is the Real alternative for many? Move out to the already overcrowded private sector where the situation will be even worse; withhold the rent increase; or, pay up and cut down on essentials such as food yet again.
Mayor Fowler and Cr Foot in the face of tenant anger stated the council would not reconsider the rent increases. M.P. O'Brien said the council should reconsider their housing policy. The tenants unanimously passed a resolution stating that we were not satisfied with the Council's 'justifications' on the rental increases and we wanted a change in the council's housing policy on the increase and a reply within 14 days.