Housing New Zealand New Role

and Customer Journey

National Refugee Resettlement Forum

10 July 2014

Karen Hocking – National Manager Tenancy Support Services

Julia Campbell – Area Manager

Social Housing Reform• Independent review of the sector in 2010• Budget 2011:

– Social Housing Unit set up– reviewable tenancies introduced for some tenants

• Budget 2013 initiatives:– moving housing needs assessments to MSD (14 April

2014)– extending income-related rent subsidies (IRRS) to

community housing providers (from 14 April 2014)– introduction of new social housing legislation

(November 2013)

HNZC’s role from 14 April 2014

•Continue to be a major housing provider (landlord)•Strong relationships with MSD•Contributing to building community housing sector•Undertake major developments and redevelopments•Mixed tenure including social housing•Opportunities with other providers•Warrant of Fitness for homes

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HNZ - Customer

• Customer presents to MSD and completes a housing needs assessment

• If eligible the customer is confirmed to the MSD waitlist by priority (no change in previous criteria)

• HNZ’s interaction with the customer begins once we have a property for offer

• Property vacated and Maintenance work completed• New acquisition/build

Customer Journey

• Based on the priority of the customer’s housing need and the location of the vacant property a list is produced of eligible customers

• The customer with the highest priority is then matched against the property

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Customer journey continued

• HNZ makes offer to customer

• The customer is given the opportunity to view the property

• The customer decides whether they will accept or decline this property offer

• If accepted arrangements are made for bond/rent advances and signing of the customer to the tenancy.

HNZ and Tenant InteractionOngoing interaction points with customer who is now

the tenant

• Within first six weeks the HNZ Tenancy Manager does initial “welcome” visit - covers maintenance requests and provides opportunity to connect Tenancy Manager with tenant for ongoing relationship

• Annual inspections – checking for maintenance/property related issues

• Adhoc tenancy visits for various tenancy matters (e.g. maintenance issues, complaints, anti-social behaviour, rent payments)

HNZ – Vacation of tenancy• The tenant must provide 21 days written notice to leave

their tenancy• The Tenancy Manager will visit property for pre-vacation

inspection and discuss obligations on vacation of tenancy

• On the final day of the tenancy the tenant returns the keys to the Tenancy Manager

• The tenancy is now ended

HNZ – Refugee customer Current Refugee customer journey• Refugee intake arrives at Mangere resettlement centre• MSD complete the Housing needs assessment• HNZ allocates vacant properties where possible• HNZ staff meet on site at Mangere to sign up new

tenants• HNZ regional staff work with Red Cross to ensure

access to the home prior to the customer leaving Mangere

HNZ Decent Home Standards

Statutory Obligations• HNZ is required to provision and maintain its dwellings to

the standards set by legislation

• Key legislation– Housing Improvement Regulations 1947 (Provisioning)– Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (Condition)– The Building Act 2004 (Performance)

• Going forward – Warrant of Fitness

HNZ Programmes

Tenant Obligations• We have a call centre which provides a language line

– Our tenants can get help here to sort any maintenance problems or problems with paying rent or damages

• Our Welcome packs set out obligations• Our tenants need to contact us if there are maintenance issues

associated with their homes or if they damage something• Rent must be paid on time • Be a good neighbour and be responsible for their and their

visitors behaviours

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