Mike Butler: WOF warning for landlords

Landlords should be alarmed that the “Solutions to Child Poverty in NZ” report proposal of requiring a warrant of fitness for rentals jumped to top of the list in the poverty experts’ media statement, released on Tuesday, and Housing Minister Phil Heatley made noises on Closeup that suggest he would go along with such a scheme that would be paid for by landlords.

The poverty experts, who believe rental property owners only seeking short-term investment gains and tenants seek long-term tenancy stability, when the exact reverse is actually the case, want a capital gains tax for rental property.