Say No to No Cause Evictions

SAY NO TO
NO CAUSE
EVICTIONS

The government is proposing to introduce ‘no cause evictions’ in the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill. This change would give landlords the power to terminate any periodic tenancies with only 90-days notice – no reason required.

Renters have a right to know why they’re being kicked out of their homes. Landlords should not be given the power to evict people without reason.

Removing the rights of renters means removing the rights of children, families, students, and the elderly. We all deserve the dignity to rent without being evicted without a reason.

What do these changes mean for me?

The current rules provide a clear, limited, set of reasons that a landlord could use to issue you with an eviction notice. This set of reasons is limited to things like the landlord wanting to sell, a family member or employee of the landlord moving in, or extensive repairs or demolishment needed to take place. These rules were implemented in 2021.

The changes proposed by the current government mean anyone on a periodic tenancy (that is a tenancy without a fixed end date):

  • would no longer have the right to be provided with a reason for being evicted
  • could be kicked out for any reason at all

When the previous changes came into force they only applied to new tenancies. No cause evictions would apply to all periodic tenancies, even if they’ve already been signed. This change undermines the rights of renters who have already entered into periodic tenancy agreements.

Ready to make a submission? Submissions close July 3rd →

What does the evidence say?

Evictions are worse for people’s health

Renters are less likely to raise issues with their landlord if the threat of being kicked out is looming over them. The Healthy Homes Standards only work if renters are able to enforce them.

Each year 28,000 hospitalisations are for diseases potentially attributable to inadequate housing. These changes make it more difficult for renters to be able to enforce the healthy homes standards.

Research from Aotearoa also shows that the act of being kicked out of your home can have severe impacts for your mental health. The same research showed that if you can beat the odds and find a home it is often of worse quality.

Evictions are worse for children

Evictions impede children’s ability to access consistent schooling. More frequent changes to the children in a classroom not only negatively affect the individual child, but also have negative effects for the entire class.

Evictions are worse for the economy

In Aotearoa we have long suffered from a housing market that prioritises speculation over long term investment. The return of no cause evictions will continue to encourage people to treat housing as a cash grab rather than a long term investment – and most importantly someone’s home.

  • The return of no cause evictions enables landlords to kick renters out in order to increase the rent they’re able to charge faster than someone who provides long term secure housing, incentivising evictions.
  • More frequent evictions also create a climate of greater housing instability that has flow on effects for health, education, and employment which have further downstream effects on the economy.
  • People who have been evicted are more likely to experience homelessness and therefore increase the number of people seeking emergency housing who would have otherwise been able to stay in their own home.
  • Reduced security of tenure impacts people’s ability to access continuous employment.

Make a submission – Say no to no cause evictions

Make your voice heard. Tell the government why renters rights are human rights.

Ready to make a submission? Submissions close July 3rd →

Join our online submission party

If you need more help drafting your submission use this link to RSVP for our submission party on Wednesday the 26th of July at 7:30pm.

Additional Resources

A poster says in caps says "SAY NO TO NO CAUSE EVICTIONS" The following text reads "Evictions without a reason should be illegal. The Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill introduces 90 day no cause evictions. Have your say on renters' rights. Submissions are open - Closing 3rd July. rentersunited.org.nz"

Download the poster here and put it up in your community.