Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
Today the student accommodation inquiry initiated by Green Party Tertiary Education spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick tabled its report in Parliament.
Recommendations include establishing an independent dispute resolution process that can provide compensation, previously cut off to students unable to access the Tenancy Tribunal through exclusion to the Residential Tenancies Act, and requiring proactive transparency of services, costs and expectations published online.
“Everyone, regardless of whether they are studying or not, deserves a secure home where there is a fair power balance between the tenant and the landlord,” said Chlöe Swarbrick.
“We pushed for an inquiry after the COVID-19 lockdowns exposed a substantially under-regulated student accommodation system. Thousands of students were charged for accommodation that they couldn’t stay in and were threatened with their grades being withheld if they didn’t pay.
Students share experiences at uni accommodation to select committee
17 Mar, 2021 03:45 AM
4 minutes to read
multimedia journalist at the Herald in Wellington@katieharrisnz
Tears, frustration and anxiety, university accommodation providers have been slammed by students for their greed at a select committee today.
The parliamentary select committee started an inquiry after a string of issues surrounding the handling of fees during Covid-19 and the death of Christchurch student Mason Pendrous who lay dead in his hall for two to four weeks in 2019.
Pendrous was found dead by a staff member in his room in the Hinoki building of the University of Canterbury s Sonoda Campus in Ilam.