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Landlord to pay $39k for unhealthy home

#Post
1

A Christchurch landlord has been ordered to pay $38,626 after their “serious exploitation” of vulnerable tenants led to a child developing rheumatic heart disease.

In a decision released on Friday, the Tenancy Tribunal found landlords Anne and Roger Stocker had breached the Residential Tenancies Act in several ways, including failing to maintain the property in respect of health and safety matters.

The tribunal said the Stockers, now living in Australia, also failed to complete general maintenance and appoint an agent while not residing in New Zealand, had not lodged bonds, and did not comply with smoke alarm and insulation statement requirements.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/126824887/landlord-ordered-
to-pay-38k-after-child-develops-rheumatic-heart-disease

sparkychap - 2021-10-29 12:15:00
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Yeah I read that, awful. Then for some reason was tempted to look up her facebook page ...... brrrrrrrrrr.

desi1969 - 2021-10-29 13:04:00
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These bloody scumbag landlords make all the other good ones look bad.

tygertung - 2021-10-29 13:49:00
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Sounds like the house was only suitable for male uni students.

pcle - 2021-10-29 14:01:00
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No matter what you may think about the current rules & regs that govern what a LL must do, or must not do.. these LL's sound like, as my old mum used to say, "a nasty piece of work".. I hope 39K they have to pay makes them "squeak a bit" !!!

onl_148 - 2021-10-29 15:03:00
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Unfortunately the money will not make up for the damage done to the child's heart, their health and future life experience which is likely to include surgeries, restrictions on activities and, potentially, a shorter life span. They should be up on criminal charges not just "squeak'n' a bit"! Child endangerment in my book!

hers.nz - 2021-10-29 15:41:00
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hers.nz wrote:

Unfortunately the money will not make up for the damage done to the child's heart, their health and future life experience which is likely to include surgeries, restrictions on activities and, potentially, a shorter life span. They should be up on criminal charges not just "squeak'n' a bit"! Child endangerment in my book!

Parental neglect. Why wouldn’t you move out?

pcle - 2021-10-29 17:24:00
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pcle wrote:

Parental neglect. Why wouldn’t you move out?

Yes we can expect an answer like that from an idiot,

payntr - 2021-10-29 18:16:00
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payntr wrote:

Yes we can expect an answer like that from an idiot,

surely the parents knew the house wasn't healthy, and they chose to stay.

annie17111 - 2021-10-29 18:18:00
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annie17111 wrote:

surely the parents knew the house wasn't healthy, and they chose to stay.[/quote costs $$$$$ to keep moving,

payntr - 2021-10-29 18:21:00
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payntr wrote:

Yes we can expect an answer like that from an idiot,

Oh give over.
The parents FIRST, SECOND and any thought should be for their child.
MSD could have helped.

smallwoods - 2021-10-29 18:52:00
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smallwoods wrote:

Oh give over.
The parents FIRST, SECOND and any thought should be for their child.
MSD could have helped.

You're assuming that they knew help was available and from where. Its not the first example of Pasifika peoples in this situation - they often don't know their rights, and when they speak to landlords they get threats in return.

sparkychap - 2021-10-29 19:10:00
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smallwoods wrote:

Oh give over.
The parents FIRST, SECOND and any thought should be for their child.
MSD could have helped.

lol bet the rent was tops,what and tax payer pays again,property was crap from what i have read.Should have not been rented out ,But a money game eh.

payntr - 2021-10-29 19:12:00
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sparkychap wrote:

You're assuming that they knew help was available and from where. Its not the first example of Pasifika peoples in this situation - they often don't know their rights, and when they speak to landlords they get threats in return.

Hit the nail on the head.

payntr - 2021-10-29 19:13:00
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payntr wrote:

Hit the nail on the head.

Yep and typically this becomes victim blaming from the usual posters who probably also claim its the womans fault for wearing a short dress.

sparkychap - 2021-10-29 19:26:00
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payntr wrote:

Yes we can expect an answer like that from an idiot,

Oh the stunning refute. Desperate and nasty cause that’s all ya got.

pcle - 2021-10-29 19:27:00
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pcle wrote:

Oh the stunning refute. Desperate and nasty cause that’s all ya got.

lol

payntr - 2021-10-29 19:41:00
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sparkychap wrote:

A Christchurch landlord has been ordered to pay $38,626 after their “serious exploitation” of vulnerable tenants led to a child developing rheumatic heart disease.

In a decision released on Friday, the Tenancy Tribunal found landlords Anne and Roger Stocker had breached the Residential Tenancies Act in several ways, including failing to maintain the property in respect of health and safety matters.

The tribunal said the Stockers, now living in Australia, also failed to complete general maintenance and appoint an agent while not residing in New Zealand, had not lodged bonds, and did not comply with smoke alarm and insulation statement requirements.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/126824887/landlord-ordered-
to-pay-38k-after-child-develops-rheumatic-heart-disease[/quo
te]

thanks for that... we can all read about it on Stuff or see it on tv.

spead - 2021-10-29 19:51:00
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spead wrote:

thanks for that... we can all read about it on Stuff or see it on tv.

No worries, glad to help.

sparkychap - 2021-10-29 19:58:00
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sparkychap wrote:

You're assuming that they knew help was available and from where. Its not the first example of Pasifika peoples in this situation - they often don't know their rights, and when they speak to landlords they get threats in return.

Indeed. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Slumlords need to be in prison not just fined.

sw20 - 2021-10-29 20:22:00
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spead wrote:

thanks for that... we can all read about it on Stuff or see it on tv.

Stuff.co.nz?

Anyone with half a clue wouldn't click any link to that Wokester outfit.

Same goes for NZ Herald over the last six months with hit articles now published.

Sad really, New Zealand is becoming a divided nation.

ian1990 - 2021-10-29 20:28:00
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They won't give a monkey, tenants are just dispensables, if by chance they haven't got $39k in liquid funds they'll just dump it on the market, they would have made that in the last year in CG anyway, some desperate FHB will be living in it soon.

franc123 - 2021-10-29 20:39:00
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pcle wrote:

Parental neglect. Why wouldn’t you move out?

Yep no problem, there is of course loads of vacant rental properties available for immediate occupation owned by friendly people ready to rent them to you at reasonable prices. Moving house amazingly enough costs money that they may not have had plus pay advanced rent on a new place and they couldn't exactly just reclaim their bond as the LL never lodged it.

franc123 - 2021-10-29 20:45:00
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franc123 wrote:

Yep no problem, there is of course loads of vacant rental properties available for immediate occupation owned by friendly people ready to rent them to you at reasonable prices. Moving house amazingly enough costs money that they may not have had plus pay advanced rent on a new place and they couldn't exactly just reclaim their bond as the LL never lodged it.

Used to be. Cindy & friends fixed that. Enjoy the high rents and long long waiting list. Ya socialism. This time it’s different.

pcle - 2021-10-29 21:38:00
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pcle wrote:

Parental neglect. Why wouldn’t you move out?

Agree. Surely the parents responsibility was to their child and if they felt that strongly then why did they stay there? It's child abuse, injury caused by that.

tegretol - 2021-10-29 22:55:00
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smallwoods wrote:

Oh give over.
The parents FIRST, SECOND and any thought should be for their child.
MSD could have helped.

Why did the parent even produce the child in the knowledge that they (it may be a 'he') were incapable of adequately providing for it? We need a licensing system to control the production of kids into such deprived environments.

tegretol - 2021-10-29 22:58:00
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Sure....you don't know if they were trying to get another rental or not...and probably failing. Kids aren't high on the want list by landlords are they...
And once the kid was sick, I'm sure they were busy with doctors and such, and putting all their attention on the kid.
MSD, what would they do? Stick them on a waiting list?

lythande1 - 2021-10-30 07:45:00
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The member deleted this message.

gunna-1 - 2021-10-30 08:00:00
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“The tribunal found the landlords were aware of their breaches of the RTA and continued to manage the tenancy in an unacceptable manner, without engaging or showing any willingness to remedy any of the harm and health problems they caused the tenants.”

sparkychap - 2021-10-30 08:27:00
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This message was deleted.

gunna-1 - 2021-10-30 08:51:00
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Gunna - The landlords clearly didn’t give a fuck for their customers.

sparkychap - 2021-10-30 08:56:00
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sparkychap wrote:

You're assuming that they knew help was available and from where. Its not the first example of Pasifika peoples in this situation - they often don't know their rights, and when they speak to landlords they get threats in return.

So you are suggesting they are the only Pacifica people in the area?
I very much doubt that.

smallwoods - 2021-10-30 10:07:00
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smallwoods wrote:

So you are suggesting they are the only Pacifica people in the area?
I very much doubt that.

Keep going with the victim blaming.

sw20 - 2021-10-30 10:09:00
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lythande1 wrote:

Sure....you don't know if they were trying to get another rental or not...and probably failing. Kids aren't high on the want list by landlords are they...
And once the kid was sick, I'm sure they were busy with doctors and such, and putting all their attention on the kid.
MSD, what would they do? Stick them on a waiting list?

According to Sparky, they most likely didn't know to take the child to the Dr?

smallwoods - 2021-10-30 10:11:00
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sw20 wrote:

Keep going with the victim blaming.

Give over.
Somethings are just black and white.

smallwoods - 2021-10-30 10:12:00
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sparkychap wrote:

Gunna - The landlords clearly didn’t give a fuck for their customers.

NO dispute on that point.

smallwoods - 2021-10-30 10:13:00
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smallwoods wrote:

According to Sparky, they most likely didn't know to take the child to the Dr?

where did I say that?

sparkychap - 2021-10-30 10:15:00
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sparkychap wrote:

where did I say that?

Moving along your thought line, that they didn't know that they could apply to MSD.

smallwoods - 2021-10-30 15:08:00
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gunna-1 wrote:

....
Havent read the link yet,....

You probably should then, given you are providing opinions on it.

desi1969 - 2021-10-30 16:00:00
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pcle wrote:

Used to be. Cindy & friends fixed that. Enjoy the high rents and long long waiting list. Ya socialism. This time it’s different.

Still doesn't excuse the fact the LL acted in an unlawful manner. They deserved everything they had coming to them.

franc123 - 2021-10-30 17:31:00
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tegretol wrote:

Why did the parent even produce the child in the knowledge that they (it may be a 'he') were incapable of adequately providing for it? We need a licensing system to control the production of kids into such deprived environments.

Ok so what's the licencing criteria and who decides who can have kids? Should sterilization be compulsory for all Maori and Pacifica at age 15? We're all ears.

franc123 - 2021-10-30 17:36:00
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smallwoods wrote:

Moving along your thought line, that they didn't know that they could apply to MSD.

So you agree that I never said that then. Or even implied it.

Regardless, I think you're on the wrong track to assume that they wouldn't know how to seek medical help. There's a big difference between knowing about "doctors" and that you can get a Recoverable Assistance Payment from MSD by filling in form MSD-334SD. I've read plenty of threads on here over the years where people didn't know that either.

sparkychap - 2021-10-30 17:38:00
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desi1969 wrote:

You probably should then, given you are providing opinions on it.

Why would anyone bother reading the subject of the thread before regurgitating an opinion?

sparkychap - 2021-10-30 17:39:00
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franc123 wrote:


We're all ears.

Are we? Not sure we are....

sparkychap - 2021-10-30 17:40:00
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franc123 wrote:

Still doesn't excuse the fact the LL acted in an unlawful manner. They deserved everything they had coming to them.

Unjust laws need to be treated with the utmost contempt. But in this case I agree with you.

pcle - 2021-10-30 18:21:00
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franc123 wrote:

Ok so what's the licencing criteria and who decides who can have kids? Should sterilization be compulsory for all Maori and Pacifica at age 15? We're all ears.

Nothing to do with race and you should be ashamed of yourself for trying to make it so.

Licensing should be some system whereby potential parents should prove to the state (ie the rest of us) that they have the means to support, nurture and raise their children. This would minimise the endless replication of state-dependant families who contribute nothing in their entire lives yet expect those of us that do work to fund them. If the problem was stopped before it started then many of these 'homeless', 'deprived' and otherwise 'disadvantaged' children would not be the taxpayers or landlords responsibility.

tegretol - 2021-10-30 19:26:00
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sparkychap wrote:

Gunna - The landlords clearly didn’t give a fuck for their customers.

Fuck, tehehe, you said fuck. Tehehe...????

lovelurking - 2021-10-30 20:31:00
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gunna-1 wrote:

Wrong way, if by rheumatic heart disease they mean rheumatic fever, that is cause by over crowding and dampness, not airing the house out and basic housekeeping, better standards dose help but its not the be all and end all, to much processed food, tv, and lazyness, and crowding, imho.

Havent read the link yet, but ten years ago there was two woman complaining about moisture dripping from the ceiling and it turned out to be from cooking and not drying the house out for months on end.

Rheumatic heart disease is a complication of rheumatic fever. It causes damage to the heart.

In one of your posts you suggested the tenants should do diy repairs or improvements.

There are a few factors involved. One, the family may not have had the funds or time to upgrade the property - they had at least one sick child. Two, it’s not their responsibility - it’s the landlord’s responsibility to ensure the house meets the Healthy Homes standards.

The main point of HHS is so renters live in a healthy home. Kids are the ones most likely to get sick living in a house that’s not insulated, doesn’t have a way of heating the living area, doesn’t have extractors to deal with moisture, has drafts and leaks etc etc.

I’m a landlord and a long term one. I’m an ex public health nurse - that was my job for 10 years. I see this legislation as a good thing!

princess52 - 2021-10-30 20:46:00
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sw20 wrote:

Slumlords need to be in prison not just fined.

Totally agree, have you seen some of the Housing NZ homes, an absolute disgrace. Ardern and her merry men...or what ever gender they call themselves should be totally ashamed. Mold, no insulation, and these are houses fit for NZers, jail Ardern & the housing minister What do you think,

Edited by cadmus at 9:23 pm, Sat 30 Oct

cadmus - 2021-10-30 21:18:00
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sw20 wrote:

Indeed. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Slumlords need to be in prison not just fined.

Ferals that trash houses should also be locked up. Until they have fully paid for all the damage. And there’s a lot more of them than dodgy LLs.

pcle - 2021-10-30 21:51:00
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