Latest news with #boardinghouse
RNZ News
14-07-2025
- RNZ News
Illegal boarding house tenants told to hide from housing inspectors
The living area for 22 tenants. The tenant says it was apparent Truong was able to listen in to discussions in the house through the microphone on the camera mounted on the ceiling. Photo: Supplied / MBIE 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 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. The tenant says five people living in the house's garage were evicted with a night's notice when Truong became aware of MBIE inspections. Photo: Supplied / MBIE 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. 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. Landlord James Truong instructed tenants to stow away beds, clothing and food and hide from inspectors as attention on the property grew. Photo: Supplied by tenant 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. 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. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
ABC News
29-06-2025
- General
- ABC News
Final residents of Paddington boarding house face eviction, ahead of redevelopment
With eviction day fast approaching, long-time tenant Jeff Elliott reluctantly packed up his belongings over the weekend. He spent years living on the streets after his mother died when he was 14. He credits finding a room at a boarding house in Sydney's inner city with helping him turn his life around. "It was like a family," he said. "We all got on, we all helped each other out. "If you had no money or something, they'd help you out. You had no food, they'd help you out." He lived there for 21 years, working as a postman and paying $300 a week in rent for a room with a kitchen, shower and small living area attached. Moving out, he said, has been the worst experience of his life. "I don't want to go. To be honest, I'd rather stay here." The boarding house, which is on a leafy street in the affluent suburb of Paddington, has been sold to a developer. In October last year, the 30 residents were served with eviction orders, giving them until March to leave. Since then, the developer has agreed to several extensions. In that time, most have managed to find new places to live: in boarding houses, social housing or aged care homes dotted around the city. But time has run out for two men who still have nowhere to go when the bailiffs arrive on Monday to change the locks. Homes NSW said it was working to find accommodation for one of them after his plans to move in with family fell through. The other resident has declined all offers of help. A development application to turn the boarding house into luxury housing has been rejected by the City of Sydney Council, citing the social impact and the loss of affordable housing. The developer has appealed against that decision in the NSW Land and Environment Court. A ruling is expected any time now. But whatever the outcome, the boarding house is unlikely to reopen. Elaine Macnish from the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre said once a boarding house was sold off, that stock of affordable rentals was gone for good. "Nobody ever opens up a boarding house and says, 'Let's charge $200 a week', so it is a permanent loss to the community when the boarding houses are closed." She said these facilities played a vital role in the housing market, providing affordable housing for some of the marginalised in the community. "Boarding houses are often that first step for people out of homelessness," she said. "You can't go out and get a job: you can't contribute to society without having that essential roof over your head and that safety." Ms Macnish said in recent years, there has been a marked decline in the the number of boarding houses in Sydney. "The reason for that is the regulation and standards that come in around boarding houses. "Landlords need to do renovations. They either do that and increase the rent, or they sell to developers." She said the loss of boarding house rooms had contributed to a rise in the number of people living on the streets. "The City of Sydney over the last year has seen a 25 per cent increase in street homelessness," she said. "I think that's a direct impact from there not being enough affordable housing like boarding houses available in the inner city." Neighbour Mike Mannix has been helping the boarding house residents facing eviction to connect with housing services. "People have got to have somewhere to live, somewhere that's affordable and safe in the inner city. "These areas shouldn't be enclaves for the rich." Mr Elliott has given up looking for a place and is moving in with his former sister-in-law. "It's the worst experience in the world," he said. "There's nothing there. "I looked at boarding houses, I looked at rentals; there's nowhere to go." He's grateful to have the offer of a room to move into but said it won't be the same. "I want to get my own place and my own life, even though I love family and I get on good with family, I need my own place."
CBS News
05-06-2025
- CBS News
Man found dead with throat slashed inside North Philadelphia house, police say
A man in his 50s was found dead inside a house in North Philadelphia with his throat slashed and multiple stab wounds on his face on Thursday night, police said. The stabbing happened on the second floor of a boarding house on the 1900 block of West Berks Street, which is just west of Temple University's campus, according to Philadelphia Police Department Chief Inspector Scott Small. Small said the man was found in a chair with his throat slashed and multiple stab wounds on his face near his eyes. He was pronounced dead by medics at 8 p.m., according to police. Small said a 38-year-old man who let police inside the home was taken into custody. Police believe he might be responsible for the stabbing. Small said a knife wasn't found at the home, but police are going to search the property. A motive for the stabbing remains unknown. The stabbing is under investigation by homicide detectives.
RNZ News
15-05-2025
- RNZ News
Two years since Loafers Lodge fire
It's two years to the day, since a central Wellington boarding house went up in flames, killing five residents and triggering a series of inquiries into fire protections. Mary Argue reports. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
15-05-2025
- RNZ News
Two years on from Loafers Lodge fire Newtown building looms virtually unchanged
The Loafers Lodge fire in May 2023 killed five of the building's 92 residents. Photo: Supplied / Axel Dann Some survivors of a fatal boarding house fire are still struggling with the trauma of that night two years on, the Wellington City Missioner says. Today marks the second anniversary of the [ Loafers Lodge fire in Newtown] that killed five of the building's 92 residents and left those who escaped homeless. Michael Wahrlich , Melvin Parun, Peter O'Sullivan, Kenneth Barnard and Liam Hockings lost their lives in the devastating blaze that began shortly after midnight on 16 May, 2023. Two years since the fatal fire, most of the Loafers Lodge residents have found permanent homes, but survivors were reluctant to speak to RNZ for this story. Meanwhile, the gutted three-storey building stands virtually unchanged on Adelaide Road and its future remains unclear. Police said a man facing murder and arson charges is due to reappear in court at the end of this month. In the immediate aftermath of the fire, Wellington City Mission became the go-to organisation for survivors, with staff having said their lives changed overnight. Missioner Murray Edridge described it as an intense and challenging time. "We got to hear stories about people having to climb over bodies to get out of the building. People who chose to jump out windows because there was no way out of the building. "These were deeply traumatic events that for a number of people will stay with them probably the rest of their days." Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone He said it was not only a tragedy for the five people who lost their lives, but for the survivors who lost their home, and some of them, all their possessions. Kāinga Ora Wellington regional director Vicki McLaren said she could not disclose current information, but said at the time of the fire 41 Loafers residents were placed in Kāinga Ora houses, while others found homes in the private market or transitional housing. Edridge confirmed in the two years since, most had found permanent homes, some had left Wellington, and six remained at the Mission. Survivors contacted by RNZ were reluctant to speak on record for this story, however Miimetua Cameron - who was one of the last people to escape her floor - asked that any article highlight the work of the City Mission and Wellingtonians for "their kind donations". In the hours after the blaze, Cameron, who works at Taylor Preston, [ told RNZ she was lucky to be alive], but had no idea where she and her partner would live. Speaking to RNZ this week, she said the couple's new accommodation was a significant improvement - a single unit with its own kitchen facilities. Miimetua Cameron lived at Loafers Lodge for three years. Photo: RNZ / Ashleigh McCaull Edridge said while some ex-Lodgers were doing really well, a recent fire drill showed others were still struggling. "Even just the alarm in the building, the requirement to evacuate, triggered a number of people so severely - and it was a reflection on the experience they had two years ago. "So, for most of us life has moved on, for the people directly impacted by the fire, it hasn't. In fact, it still stays with them very significantly." He said part of the problem was that the Lodge still remained on Adelaide Road, and he was disappointed that another year had passed and nothing had changed. He wanted to see an urgent resolution - whether that be demolition or a rebuild. "The stark reminder that creates everyday for people as they drive or walk past the site, where we still see a burnt out shell, that will be retraumatising for many of these people time and time again. "I guess my call is to whoever is responsible - legal, insurance, owners - to resolve it." RNZ contacted the owner of the building, but they declined to comment for this story. The Loafers Lodge building remains unchanged in 2025. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The fire triggered a series of inquiries into fire protections . A Wellington City Council audit released in June 2023 found 25 similar buildings to Loafers Lodge in the capital. Twenty-one had a current building warrant of fitness, one never had one and three did, but they were not current. Following the fire, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) launched a probe into 37 buildings like Loafers Lodge (buildings that were at least three storeys tall, a boarding house and had no sprinklers). It found more than 100 problems, including smoke detectors not working and unmonitored alarm systems. It also found the boarding houses were on average 60 years old. Most were not built originally to be accommodation and 69 percent had issues with safety systems. MBIE's head of building system, delivery and assurance Simon Thomas said issues around building warrant of fitness inspections had been resolved as of October last year. In addition to further guidance on building warrant of fitness compliance, an amendment to the Building Act in November 2024 increased fines and penalties for breaches, he said. Firefighters at the scene of the blaze in 2023. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver Meanwhile, MBIE's head of tenancy Kat Watson said it had filed an application to take a boarding house operator to the Tenancy Tribunal for a range of breaches found in the initial investigation. No date had been set for the hearing, and Watson could not say whether the breaches were related to fire safety, given the case was yet to be heard. After the probe into boarding houses, the government asked MBIE to do a full review of the building code's fire safety provisions. The Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk told RNZ he expected the final report and recommendations to be delivered within weeks, and that it would be made public shortly after. He said more than 350 pages of feedback from architects, to builders and building occupants, had to be compiled. "[It] has been a long and arduous task but it's an important one and we're determined to get it right, not to rush it." He said no one should have to endure the loss and trauma that resulted from the fire at Loafers Lodge. "We remain committed to learning from this event to prevent similar tragedies in the future." A man, who has name suppression, has pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges and is due appear at the High Court in Wellington at the end of May. At the end of last year, Fire and Emergency (FENZ) said it was unable to release a review into how it responded to the fatal fire while a criminal investigation was underway. FENZ regional manager Bruce Stubbs said the organisation would continue to support police with the ongoing court case. He said two years on, FENZ's thoughts were with those who perished in the fire and also with staff who performed "multiple rescues that evening in severe fire conditions". In a statement, mayor Tory Whanau said her heart went out to the whānau and friends of those who perished and continued to grieve. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
