Council of Trade Unions Secretary Sam Huggard welcomed the Government’s announcement today of a public consultation on renting laws. “Too many working people are paying too much of their income on housing that doesn’t meet their needs, and too often even makes them sick,” he said.
“The Government’s consultation allows working people to tell their stories about the impact of expensive, insecure and inadequate rental housing on their lives. We lose so much money, time, and energy every year because of poor quality housing stock and families having to uproot their entire lives to find somewhere they can afford. Improving our rental housing isn’t just a human rights issue – it’s a health issue, it’s an education issue and it’s a workplace issue too.”
“We encourage all working people to submit to the Government’s consultation process in the next eight weeks. We would also really like to see employers getting on board to support more secure and affordable rental tenancies. With better rental laws, we can see more Kiwis getting through winter without having to move away from damp, mould and debt, which is great news for their workplaces too.”
