Um yeah – why don’t we put that to some people in Ethiopia or Somalia or some other genuinely underprivileged countries.
There are always plenty of sad “people” stories that crop up around Christmas time and of course the MSM leaps at the opportunity to “pimp the poor” for commercial gain, and if it’s also a chance to slam capitalism, the right, greedy landlords and past governments, the temptation is just too great to ignore.
“Stuff recently reported on an Auckland tenant who was upset to have been given notice in the week before Christmas.
Stories flooded in in response to the article.”
Well, of course, they would. Open Pandora’s box (which was actually a jar but became a box in the mistranslation) and, just as it did in Greek mythology in the 7th Century BC when Pandora opened said box, “out flew every trouble known to humanity. Strife, sickness, toil and myriad other ills escaped from the jar to afflict men and women forever more. Pandora managed to keep one spirit in the jar as she shut the lid, a timid sprite named Elpis, usually translated as “hope.”
Thanks to Pandora, “hope” has reigned supreme ever since, creating unrealistic expectations which have come to dominate our western society; where so many look to the government to legislate a comfortable and secure lifestyle, ignoring that one individual’s hope can only be delivered at the expense of another person’s hard work.
Hope, according to the Oxford dictionary means “to want something to happen and think that it is possible”.
Doesn’t that (please pardon the pun) open another Pandora’s box?
I’m not about to take up valuable space here cutting and pasting parts of each story. If you want to read every repetitive tale of woe, go to stuffed.
It’s easy to complain to the media and I understand the frustration of tenants who are being moved on, particularly at this time of year. I know it’s hard to find rentals out there.
But please, spare a thought for the reason why this problem is deteriorating and doing so rapidly. Since the moment that fool Twyford became involved, landlords have been getting out of the market in droves. The unintended consequences of well-intentioned, sloppy and useless legislation to control a free market, inevitably leads to people leaving the market.
The whole thing is a simple matter of individual property rights. The property owner is the property owner and should be the sole arbiter of what happens on his or her property. THEY OWN IT! It might not be kind, it might not be nice, it might not be fair. BUT IT IS THEIR PROPERTY and that’s where it begins and ends.
If they choose to make it available for rent, that should be a matter between property owner and renter. As soon as government becomes involved (which inevitably means rules, regulations and bureaucrats to deal with), property owners take their money and invest elsewhere. Many were willing to tolerate and live with the relatively hopeless Tenancy Tribunal, but add more and they will vote with their feet, which is clearly exactly what’s happening.
Be very careful what you wish for. The problem is not bad landlords (though there clearly are some). The problem is not bad tenants (though there clearly are some. The answer is not for government to become involved in managing or regulating rental properties, because it can only result in fewer properties being available.
The answer is for government to govern. That means setting appropriate parameters for population growth and infrastructure, not tinkering with rules that complicate things even more.
Make land available. Get rid of the lunatic elements of the Resource Management Act. Get councils to do their jobs properly instead of obstructing everything. Get rid of bureaucracy and bullshit and let the people who know what they’re doing get on with the job of building houses. Profit is not a dirty word. More houses equals less demand and lower rentals and property prices. It really is that simple.