Nz government faces rent cap pressure

Reports some landlords are hiking rents by as much as 150 per cent have been dismissed by the New Zealand Property Investors Federation as a malicious attempt to pressure the government into capping rent rises.

Christchurch mayor Bob Parker accused landlords who hiked rents of "looting by another name" last week after reports emerged that some were ramping up rents in a city where many people have been left homeless by last month's earthquake. He said there was not much the council could do about it, but the Government might be able to look at some form of control.

Federation president and Christchurch property manager Martin Evans said he had not heard of anyone taking advantage of the earthquake with large rent increases. "We don't know where these claims of 150 per cent rent increases have come from. "It is malicious to make these claims in order to influence Government in an attempt to have rent controls imposed," said Evans.

Source: NZ Herald