Latest news with #Truong
1News
15-07-2025
- 1News
Illegal boarding house tenants told to hide from housing inspectors
A man who lived in an illegal boarding house in Queenstown says landlord James Truong instructed tenants to hide from MBIE inspectors as attention on the property grew. The man, who did not want his identity revealed, says he and another person were charged $440 a week to share a small room in a converted shed out the back of the house. The Ministry of Business and Innovation (MBIE) said Truong had been ordered to pay $113,723.56 for multiple breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act as well as refund 40% of the rent paid by tenants of an unlawful boarding house. Truong was also issued with a 3-year restraining order from committing any further unlawful acts related to operating a boarding house. The Ministry's tenancy compliance and investigations had advised Truong to stop using the building as a boarding house in 2020, but a complaint in 2023 revealed 11 people living in the five-bedroom house and another 11 people housed in two converted garages and a shed. ADVERTISEMENT The tenant said he shared a room in the shed behind the house between April and July 2023. "It's like storage but he converted it as bedrooms. There was a microwave, a sofa and two small rooms. So me and my friend is living in that one bedroom and then one Sri Lankan guy is living in the other bedroom. "The shed doesn't have any bathrooms so we need to go inside the house to use the bathroom. Even the laundry is in there so we have to walk from the back of the house to the inside of the house," he said. Garage area where five tenants were living. (Source: TCIT Queenstown) Landlord told tenants to hide from inspection teams He said - as MBIE began investigating the house - Truong sent texts instructing him to leave the property or stay inside the shed when inspection teams were near. RNZ has seen texts from Truong instructing tenants to remove food from fridges, dismantle beds and put their clothes in plastic bags ahead of inspections. ADVERTISEMENT "He is messaging us to hide in the shed. He had cameras so he can see if it's MBIE. So he is messaging me saying 'ok don't go out from your room just stay there until I say so'. It's like we were doing something wrong," he said. He said five Indonesian people living in the garage were kicked out with only a night's notice once Truong learned the house was under investigation. Tenant didn't know he was being exploited Being new to country, the man said he was not sure whether the living situation was normal. "I don't know the kind of rules and it's really hard to find an accommodation so I thought like 'maybe that's how it works here'. So we don't know that we are getting exploited," he said. He said Truong would "pursue" the tenants with texts and sudden visits and - as attention of the house grew - he attempted to pressure tenants to sign letters indicating they agreed to live in the spaces willingly. The tenant said MBIE had tried to contact him, but he did not respond because he was scared of losing his accommodation. ADVERTISEMENT Landlord James Truong instructed tenants to stow away beds, clothing and food and hide from inspectors as attention on the property grew. (Source: Penalty reflects the seriousness of offending - MBIE National manager for MBIE's Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team, Brett Wilson, said the penalty was not the largest order issued by the Tenancy Tribunal but the amount was reflective of the number of tenants involved and the seriousness of the issues uncovered. Wilson said the amount of rent to be refunded to the tenants was still being determined and appealed to any people who had lived at the property under Truong to get in touch. "MBIE expects all parties to comply with Tenancy Tribunal orders. Mr Truong has engaged with us so far and we will be working with him to arrange payment. In these cases our priority is to ensure that tenants receive the money they are entitled to and we will take all appropriate steps to make sure that happens," Wilson said. He defended the nearly three years between Truong being told not to use the property as a boarding house in 2020 and the investigation following complaints in 2023. "We do try and follow up cases as frequently as we can but with 600,000 estimated rental properties in the country we aren't always able to follow up cases as promptly as we would like to," Wilson said. ADVERTISEMENT The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including Trump's deadline for Russia, legal action against a supermarket giant, and an unusual marathon record. (Source: Breakfast) Inaction reinforces 'cowboy culture' in rental market Renters United president Zac Thomas said the time between Truong being told not to run the property as a boarding house in 2020 and the eventual penalty - nearly five years later - reinforced a "cowboy culture" of non-compliance with housing standards. "When you do the math behind what this landlord must have made from 22 people over the space of nearly five years. We're looking at around $450 a week in fines. They would have made much more than that from the rents that were being paid by the tenants. It's absolutely crazy," Thomas said. He said until the housing crisis in places like Queenstown was addressed, tenants would continue to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous landlords. "We're seeing more and more cases like this because of the reintroduction of no cause evictions. Tenants are too afraid to speak up - at least they did so in this case over time - but throughout the country, time and time again - we see tenants too scared to stand up for their basic rights," Thomas said. Thomas said the Tenancy Tribunal was not properly resourced to address the scale of the problem in New Zealand. ADVERTISEMENT "This should've never taken five years to get to this stage. It's disastrous for our international reputation - in the heart of our tourist capital. "This person should never be able to be a landlord again. [The penalty] is a slap on the wrist compared to the consequences that there should be. "Until we have proper punishments for landlords we'll continue to see this cowboy culture where people push up against the law - go past the line - because they don't believe the punishments are greater than the money they can make from these situations," Thomas said RNZ has been unable to contact Truong for comment.
Otago Daily Times
14-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Illegal Queenstown boarding house tenants told to hide from inspectors
By Bill Hickman of RNZ A man who lived in an illegal boarding house in Queenstown says landlord James Truong instructed tenants to hide from MBIE inspectors as attention on the property grew. The man - who did not want his identity revealed - says he and another person were charged $440 a week to share a small room in a converted shed out the back of the house. Migrant tenants 'easy prey' for landlords The Ministry of Business and Innovation (MBIE) said Truong had been ordered to pay $113,723.56 for multiple breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act as well as refund 40 percent of the rent paid by tenants of an unlawful boarding house. Truong was also issued with a 3-year restraining order from committing any further unlawful acts related to operating a boarding house. The ministry's tenancy compliance and investigations had advised Truong to stop using the building as a boarding house in 2020, but a complaint in 2023 revealed 11 people living in the five-bedroom house and another 11 people housed in two converted garages and a shed. The tenant said he shared a room in the shed behind the house between April and July 2023. "It's like storage but he converted it as bedrooms. There was a microwave, a sofa and two small rooms. So me and my friend is living in that one bedroom and then one Sri Lankan guy is living in the other bedroom. "The shed doesn't have any bathrooms so we need to go inside the house to use the bathroom. Even the laundry is in there so we have to walk from the back of the house to the inside of the house," he said. Landlord told tenants to hide from inspection teams He said - as MBIE began investigating the house - Truong sent texts instructing him to leave the property or stay inside the shed when inspection teams were near. RNZ has seen texts from Truong instructing tenants to remove food from fridges, dismantle beds and put their clothes in plastic bags ahead of inspections. "He is messaging us to hide in the shed. He had cameras so he can see if it's MBIE. So he is messaging me saying 'ok don't go out from your room just stay there until I say so'. It's like we were doing something wrong," he said. He said five Indonesian people living in the garage were kicked out with only a night's notice once Truong learned the house was under investigation. Tenant didn't know he was being exploited Being new to country, the man said he was not sure whether the living situation was normal. "I don't know the kind of rules and it's really hard to find an accommodation so I thought like 'maybe that's how it works here'. So we don't know that we are getting exploited," he said. He said Truong would "pursue" the tenants with texts and sudden visits and - as attention of the house grew - he attempted to pressure tenants to sign letters indicating they agreed to live in the spaces willingly. The tenant said MBIE had tried to contact him but he did not respond because he was scared of losing his accommodation. Penalty reflects the seriousness of offending - MBIE National manager for MBIE's Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team, Brett Wilson, said the penalty was not the largest order issued by the Tenancy Tribunal but the amount was reflective of the number of tenants involved and the seriousness of the issues uncovered. Wilson said the amount of rent to be refunded to the tenants was still being determined and appealed to any people who had lived at the property under Truong to get in touch. "MBIE expects all parties to comply with Tenancy Tribunal orders. Mr Truong has engaged with us so far and we will be working with him to arrange payment. In these cases our priority is to ensure that tenants receive the money they are entitled to and we will take all appropriate steps to make sure that happens," Wilson said. He defended the nearly three years between Truong being told not to use the property as a boarding house in 2020 and the investigation following complaints in 2023. "We do try and follow up cases as frequently as we can but with 600,000 estimated rental properties in the country we aren't always able to follow up cases as promptly as we would like to," Wilson said. Inaction reinforces 'cowboy culture' in rental market Renters United president Zac Thomas said the time between Truong being told not to run the property as a boarding house in 2020 and the eventual penalty - nearly five years later - reinforced a "cowboy culture" of non-compliance with housing standards. "When you do the math behind what this landlord must have made from 22 people over the space of nearly five years. We're looking at around $450 a week in fines. They would have made much more than that from the rents that were being paid by the tenants. It's absolutely crazy," Thomas said. He said until the housing crisis in places like Queenstown was addressed, tenants would continue to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous landlords. "We're seeing more and more cases like this because of the reintroduction of no cause evictions. Tenants are too afraid to speak up - at least they did so in this case over time - but throughout the country, time and time again - we see tenants too scared to stand up for their basic rights," Thomas said. Thomas said the Tenancy Tribunal was not properly resourced to address the scale of the problem in New Zealand. "This should've never taken five years to get to this stage. It's disastrous for our international reputation - in the heart of our tourist capital. "This person should never be able to be a landlord again. [The penalty] is a slap on the wrist compared to the consequences that there should be. "Until we have proper punishments for landlords we'll continue to see this cowboy culture where people push up against the law - go past the line - because they don't believe the punishments are greater than the money they can make from these situations," Thomas said. RNZ has been unable to contact Truong for comment.
Tokyo Reported
12-07-2025
- Tokyo Reported
Vietnamese national accused of smuggling Ketamine
KANAGAWA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police have arrested a male Vietnamese technical intern trainee for smuggling the drug ketamine for the purpose of sale last year, reports TV Asahi (July 12). Truong Vuyet Hung, 28, is suspected of smuggling approximately 2.1 kilograms of ketamine, worth 42 million yen, for the purpose of selling it by hiding it in a cardboard box that was sent by mail from Slovakia last December. According to police, the ketamine was in bags wrapped in silver paper concealed inside the cardboard box, which contained toys and sweets. The ketamine was in bags wrapped in silver paper concealed inside a cardboard box containing toys and sweets (X) Police did not reveal whether Truong admits to violating the Narcotics Control Act. Two other men have already been arrested in the case. It is believed that Truong gave them instructions over the phone. Police believe Truong and his accomplices have smuggled a total of approximately 100 million yen worth of ketamine. Police are investigating whether a criminal syndicate is behind the smuggling.
Otago Daily Times
03-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Migrant tenants 'easy prey' for landlords
A migrant worker being charged $250 a week to couch-surf in Queenstown is an example of ongoing abuse in the town, a social leader says. Queenstown Citizens Advice Bureau manager Tracy Pool said some houses packed in migrant workers in conditions that risked safety and hygiene, including people on couches and in bunk beds, with few bathrooms. The revelation comes the day after the Tenancy Tribunal slapped Queenstown landlord James Truong with a $113,723 fine for housing 22 tenants — mostly migrant workers — in an unconsented, unsafe five-bedroom boarding house. The tenants were living in the house, two garages and a shed. The buildings were missing smoke alarms, did not comply with Healthy Homes Standards and the electricity system was overloaded. Mr Truong had been given warnings by the Queenstown Lakes District Council and the government's Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team (TCIT) since 2020. TCIT national manager Brett Wilson said Mr Truong had known the rules, but ignored them and the tenants were in a "vulnerable situation ... with little knowledge of their rights". Mr Truong was also required to pay back 40% of rent paid by the tenants while the building was being operated as an unconsented boarding house. Ms Pool said that migrant workers on low wages who wanted a room to themselves were being charged $400 a week plus bills, making it hard for them to survive. "If you're paying under $350 it is considered cheap." She said migrant workers were often from the Philippines or India, and were easy prey for greedy head tenants or landlords because the workers wanted to live as cheaply as possible so they could send as much money as possible to their families at home. "It makes it so much harder because it does make them so much more vulnerable to people who take advantage of them," she said. Ms Pool said she knew of a case where a company had decided to stop taking responsibility for staff accommodation in a rented house and had transferred the head tenancy to one of its managers, who had then hiked rents and brought in bunk beds. "He took advantage of the shortage of accommodation going into the winter season, to make as much money as he could." Ms Pool said it was difficult to know the scale of the problem. "It's really difficult to say, but there is always pressure every winter season and that's when things can go haywire." Her message to landlords and head tenants was "don't do it. It's wrong and immoral to take advantage of people like this".
Otago Daily Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
22 tenants in five-bedroom home: Queenstown landlord fined $113k
A Queenstown landlord chose to ignore tenancy rules by housing 22 mainly migrant workers in a five-bedroom house, converted garages and a shed, the Ministry of Business and Innovation says. James Truong has been ordered to pay $113,723.56 for multiple breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act as well as refund 40 percent of rent paid by the tenants lodged in an unlawful boarding house. The ministry's tenancy compliance and investigations team found the house had failed to meet healthy homes standards and Truong had interfered with the tenant's power supply as well as posting invalid rent increases and harassing a tenant The team had advised Truong to stop using the building as a boarding house in 2020 but a complaint in 2023 revealed 11 people living in the five-bedroom house, and a further 11 people in two converted garages and a shed. TCIT National Manager Brett Wilson said Truong was an experienced landlord who would have been well aware of his obligations and responsibilities under the Act. "Mr Truong knew the rules but chose to ignore them. There was significant non-compliance in this case with multiple breaches of the Act ranging from failure to comply with healthy homes and insulation statement requirements to interfering with the supply of electricity. "The level of damages awarded reflects the seriousness of the non-compliance in this case and the number of people affected," Wilson said. Wilson said the tenants were in a vulnerable situation given most of them were new to the country. "Many of the tenants were overseas workers on working holiday visas who had little knowledge of their rights as tenants in New Zealand. They were also working in a location with a shortage of rental accommodation which made them vulnerable to a landlord who was knowingly operating outside of the Residential Tenancies Act." Adjudicator R Woodhouse rejected Truong's claims that the house was safe and compliant and that he was simply helping his tenants out. Woodhouse noted the commercial levels of rent charged at the premises were not consistent with that approach, and when attention from authorities came on to the premises, the tenancies were abruptly terminated. Truong was also issued with a three-year restraining order from committing any further unlawful acts related to operating a boarding house. RNZ has contacted Truong for comment.
