Govt can support people who rent today

The Bill extends default tenancy terms, gives tenants first right of refusal when their tenancy agreement is up for renewal, limits rent increases and enforces transparency around them, and restores 90-day notice periods when landlords want to sell properties. 453,000 homes were rented by New Zealanders at the 2013 census.

“People who rent need stability so they can put down roots in their communities,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said.

“Our home ownership rate is at the lowest level since 1951 and more than half of all Aucklanders live in rental homes, so it’s time to fix the rules to give people who rent a fair deal.

“Unstable tenancies mean kids have to move schools too often and people can’t get involved in their communities.

“Even Nick Smith and Bill English admit that now isn’t a good time for young families to buy a home in places like Auckland, so they need to accept that more families are renting for longer. We need to update the tenancy rules to reflect that.

“Mortgage agreements are transparent about when and why payments could change, so it’s only fair that tenancy agreements are too.

“Stable tenancies are good for landlords too, because the time properties are empty and not earning rent is reduced, and tenants look after properties when they know they can call them home for several years,” Mrs Turei said.

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing New Zealand.

Action

Save Auckland's Climate Budget

Sign the petition to stop Mayor Wayne Brown's proposal for dangerous cuts to climate and environmental programmes that protect us from extreme weat...

Action

No New Mines 2023

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Trains for Climate

Add your name to our open letter urging the Minister for Finance Grant Robertson to save our passenger trains between Wellington, the Wairarapa and...

Action

Healthy Oceans 2022

Join our Healthy Oceans Crew to help us keep the health and protection of our oceans high on the Labour Government’s political agenda.

Action

It's time: A Ministry for Rainbow Communities

Join our call asking the Prime Minister to establish a Ministry for Rainbow Communities that can champion Rainbow issues.

Action

No new mines on conservation land

Sign the open letter asking Labour Ministers to stick to their promise of banning new mining projects on conservation land.

Action

Allow community ownership of our buses

Public transport is an essential service and helps to tackle the climate crisis by reducing our carbon emissions. But there are barriers to communi...

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Housing Announcements

Story

Enough posturing, let’s get on and build enough public housing

The Green Party is urging the Government to take its own advice and come up with a long-term plan to build thousands more public homes.

Long-term commitment needed on public housing

Budget 2023’s investment in public housing falls short of what’s needed.

Greens join call for immediate rent freeze after floods

The Green Party is joining more than 20 community organisations to call for an immediate rent freeze in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, after reports of ...

HRC report shows need for more action on housing

The Green Party will continue pushing for change to ensure people don’t need to access emergency housing in the first place.

Healthy Homes for all means a WOF and Landlord Register

The Government’s decision to exclude landlords from property management regulations means more than half of Kiwi rentals will be left out in the co...

Crown closes the door for Waimana Housing programme

The Green Party is calling out the Government for its role in Te Waimana Kaaku whānau losing their deposits and the homes they were promised.

Story

Let’s build better, warmer, and climate-friendly

The Government must take steps to ensure that the way we build our homes is helping to meet New Zealand’s climate change targets, the Green Party s...

Sustainable buildings and warm dry homes

Everyone has the right to a warm, dry home. Instead, housing in Aotearoa often makes us sick from damp and cold. In Aotearoa, much of our housing s...

National would rather save landlords some cash than look after sick kids: Green Party

The National Party is more concerned about the back pocket of property investors than sick kids and the elderly, Green Party Co-leader Marama David...

Stop charging homeless people for emergency housing

The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop sending homeless people into thousands of dollars of debt with the Ministry of Social Develop...

Green Party: Building code out of date and won’t ensure warm, dry homes

In response to calls for a compulsory energy rating for buildings the Green Party is renewing calls for the building code to take better account of...

Green Party calling for bold steps to tackle issues in Salvation Army report

The Green Party agrees with the Salvation Army that bold new steps are needed to stop a worrying trajectory of increased rent rises and homelessnes...