PHOTO: The Spa Lodge is owned by Ministry of Social Development and Rotorua housing hub Te Pokapū. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting)
The Government is currently examining the adherence to tenancy laws by four accommodation providers in Rotorua, including Spa Lodge. Last month, Spa Lodge received two dangerous building notices within a week, leading to the relocation of twenty tenants from the Amohau St business.
The investigation into Spa Lodge by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s tenancy compliance and investigations team is in response to concerns raised by a third party. The focus is on evaluating the business’s compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act in terms of both building and management.
On November 16, team members, in collaboration with the Rotorua Lakes Council, visited Spa Lodge. The council had previously issued the first dangerous building notice due to dead-bolting residents in at night. The second notice followed a deck fire, which a fire safety investigation revealed had been allowed to burn for hours before emergency services were contacted.
Brett Wilson, the national manager of the tenancy compliance and investigations team, refrained from commenting on the ongoing investigation to prevent compromising its integrity or influencing potential enforcement outcomes. No completion date for the investigation has been disclosed.
In response to inquiries about investigations into other Rotorua accommodations providing longer-term tenancies, Wilson mentioned that eight other premises were visited in the past year. Besides Spa Lodge, three of these prompted investigations for potential non-compliance. However, specific details, including premises names and concerns raised, were not provided, citing the Official Information Act.
Typically, the team investigates concerns ranging from the non-lodgment of bonds to serious maintenance issues. Enforcement actions, including applications to the Tenancy Tribunal, may be taken, but the team prefers working with landlords to ensure accommodations are warm, dry, and safe.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell expressed appreciation for government agencies collaborating with the council to address tenancy issues in backpackers and hostels. She emphasized the priority of people’s health and safety and mentioned ongoing efforts to work with accommodation owners for facility improvements.
Tapsell revealed that the council believed 14 accommodation providers were offering longer-term tenancies, with around eleven currently under investigation by the regulatory team. She urged owners to meet high standards in operating as backpackers or boarding houses, emphasizing the need for safe premises.
Jean-Paul Gaston, the council’s community district development group manager, clarified the council’s role in investigating District Plan and Building Code compliance matters, with no jurisdiction under the Residential Tenancies Act. The council will continue inspecting accommodation providers for fire safety in a phased and risk-based manner.
Attempts to obtain comments from Spa Lodge have been made.
SOURCE: 1NEWS