What landlords say about bad tenant blacklist after complaints to Privacy Commissioner
4 Feb, 2021 04:30 AM
4 minutes to read
Landlords have responded to Privacy Commissioner John Edwards hitting out at some of them for holding tenant blacklists and requiring more information than is legal. Edwards announced he will focus on the collection, retention and disclosure of information by landlords and property management agencies after his office received many complaints.
Sharon Cullwick, executive officer New Zealand Property Investors Federation, said bad tenant or blacklists were not a fair or transparent way to find out tenant details because they were one-sided and could unfairly keep someone out of the market because of inaccuracies.
POOL VISION
Commissioner Mike Bush says police can track those returning from overseas through their smartphones, but only with their consent. (First published April 2020) Previously, there were few repercussions for those that broke the rules. Overseas-based businesses that operate in New Zealand must also comply with the new law, regardless of whether they have a physical or legal presence in the country. The changes come as the Privacy Commissioner s annual report reveals details of some of the hundreds of breaches reported in the year to June 2020. These include a power company which revealed man’s new address to his abusive ex-partner, which she then used to drive to his property and leave abusive notes in his mailbox.