Kāinga Ora Tackles Disruptive Tenants with Tougher Measures, Leading to Positive Change

“Neighbours were fed up with individuals who abused the privilege of living in taxpayer-funded homes,” Mr. Bishop stated.

Kāinga Ora has taken decisive action against disruptive tenants, implementing a strengthened approach to managing problematic behavior, according to Housing Minister Chris Bishop.

In March 2024, the government instructed Kāinga Ora to end its Sustaining Tenancies Framework, a policy that had allowed tenants to remain in their homes regardless of threatening behavior or property damage. This shift was part of a broader commitment made in the National-ACT coalition agreement to address complaints and protect the rights of neighbors, many of whom are Kāinga Ora tenants themselves.

“Neighbours were fed up with individuals who abused the privilege of living in taxpayer-funded homes,” Mr. Bishop stated. “Ministers declared enough was enough, and Kāinga Ora was directed to take a stronger stance against such behavior.”

Swift Action, Tangible Results

Since implementing the changes, Kāinga Ora has demonstrated remarkable progress in managing complaints about tenant behavior.

• In November 2024, Kāinga Ora received 538 complaints about disruptive behavior.
• The agency resolved 98% of these cases within 15 business days, a dramatic improvement from January 2024 when complaints often remained unresolved for an average of nearly 60 days.
• By December 2024, the number of open complaint cases had dropped to just over 200, with an average resolution time of 13 days.

Early Intervention Yields Behavior Changes

Kāinga Ora’s frontline teams have issued 553 Section 55A notices since July 2024, which serve as formal warnings that a tenant’s behavior is jeopardizing their tenancy. This represents a significant increase from the 41 notices issued during the same period in 2023.

Encouragingly, the majority of tenants are responding positively to these notices:

• First notices accounted for 83% of all Section 55A notices issued.
• Second notices made up approximately 16%, while third notices—potentially resulting in the termination of tenancy—comprised less than 2%.

“This data shows that most disruptive tenants are taking these warnings seriously, making meaningful changes to their behavior,” Mr. Bishop explained.

Addressing the Most Severe Cases

For tenants who fail to adjust, Kāinga Ora has adopted a firmer stance. From July to November 2024, 23 tenancies were terminated due to abusive, threatening, or disruptive behavior. This is a significant increase compared to just four terminations in the entirety of 2023.

Kāinga Ora is also relocating tenants when conflict arises between neighbors. Between July and November 2024, 101 relocations occurred, with two-thirds of these cases resulting in no further complaints about the relocated tenants.

Protecting the Rights of Responsible Tenants

Mr. Bishop emphasized that these measures aim to protect the significant majority of Kāinga Ora tenants who behave responsibly. “The strengthened approach not only ensures that disruptive behavior is managed effectively but also improves the living conditions for the many tenants who do the right thing,” he said.

The Housing Minister also acknowledged the dedication of Kāinga Ora staff in implementing these changes and managing cases swiftly.

As the agency continues its efforts, the government’s policy changes underscore a firm commitment to addressing tenant behavior while safeguarding the rights of law-abiding residents.