Students suffer ‘unfair’ living cost allowance as rent spikes | nzherald.co.nz

[@thehangmansdaughter1120]

My kids don't get a student allowance because of my ex-husband's income. But that's his money, not theirs. There's no rule that says he has to give them his money, and he doesn't. My kids are 22 years old, they're not his responsibility anymore. The rules around allowances are unfair and completely out of line with benefit policies. An unemployed 18yo isn't denied a benefit based of parental income.

[@vinaydivakar6688]

@@mdee9337 so true and that's where all the hard-working tax payer's money goes. It's so sad to see students who are the future of our economy trying to make something of their lives, struggling to meet their ends. Thanks to the labour party!

[@mdee9337]

@@vinaydivakar6688 Absolutely ... I call them the Hand Out party

[@jamieanderson8650]

You need to complete the 1 parent form. I have had this issue. If the father doesnt contribute, complete the form.

[@dylanbradshaw8158]

yeap the government must assume that most parents are giving each of their kids who're studying a $280+ a week allowance. then once you're 25 years old you're not a dependent anymore and the government will give you the $280 per week for free.

[@williamahn7093]

Nice job for divorcing! What a terrible father not bailing out his bloods. One day, he will receive heaven's punishment.

[@boogoo4190]

My little brothers mental health got so bad from the he financial stress plus moving over here for study on top of other mental health issues that he committed suicide despite having lots of family support. I found a note on his door saying “rent $800 overdue” and that’s it.He’s not the only one either , they need to take education and students more seriously.

[@teamariastyle7622]

So sorry for your loss😢 the outcomes can be so horrifying. We should care more about people as a society.

[@shona3839]

Landlords have mortgages , rates and insurance to pay and when all these go up it means rents go up. They don’t get any rebate on taxes or help from the government as I understand. Not all landlords own many many properties. Some only have one property Cost of living has gone up and it just doesn’t affect students, it’s affects everyone who lives in this country. So please stop blaming just landlords.

[@louise9973]

Tauranga rent has gone up by at least $100/$250 more a week. Once a 3bedroom two car garage was average $570 per week now its $900 average. I witnessed it happen on trademe before my very eyes. All within a 5 day period rents went crazy. Since 1st of April increase from the government. They reduced my accommodation and additional support then put my main benefit up by $11. That was my total increase. I spoke with 4 separate people from winz and not one of them could explain the cuts to accommodation when it had increased from Apr 1st yet mine was dropped even though my rent was still the same.

[@GoldMoon82]

It seems that the Labour Party is supportive of this news. The unlimited printing of money has also played a role in driving up inflation.

[@W00IS-J]

You need to go back further and see what National has done. Easing restrictions right left centre, selling government lands and houses.

[@GoldMoon82]

​@@W00IS-JI firmly believe that New Zealand is not up for sale. Rather than worrying about foreign investment, we should view it as a chance to showcase our competitiveness and resilience. Let us have faith in our abilities and believe in ourselves. We are stronger than we realize, and we have what it takes to thrive in a global economy.

[@bye692001]

Since the Labour party has been in GOVT these are the things they have done to landlords. 1) Increased bright line test 2) No tax deductibility for interest 3) Increase the standards of warmer homes 4) Built less houses than they promised prior to been elected All this adds additional costs onto the landlord and where do you think the landlords will get this money back from, of course the tenants. I'm a landlord in Auckland and when i increase rent, i always say to the tenants, this is what Labour has done to me, and sorry i have to pass this onto you.

[@nikkster01]

rubbish you are trying to get someone else to pay for your asset without you contributing a cent save you own $500K for your retirement and why should you be allowed to rent out a fridge

[@GoldMoon82]

As a landlord myself, I have noticed a significant increase in ongoing costs while the Auckland CBD rent has yet to fully recover to pre-COVID levels. Although I could partially cover these costs with a rent increment, the remaining expenses would still have to come out of my pocket.

[@Benjamin-om3ih]

Poor thing, must be so hard having someone pay off your mortgage for you

[@bye692001]

@@Benjamin-om3ih Im very well off and not ashamed to admit it.

[@Benjamin-om3ih]

Not suggesting you should be ashamed of your financial situation at all. I'm making the point alot of landlords on social media moan as if it's the end of the world but in reality they are getting free money for very little service and the laws have been too loose for too long imho. We need a capital gains tax. It will happen at some point. When? I don't know

[@markwairepo2871]

When do landlords rights supersede societies rights? Seems to me Landlords have had it too good for too long......

[@_nom_]

They're often trying to pay off mortgages. Banks lending to people allow more people to buy houses. Furthermore, they're seen as investments.

[@markwairepo2871]

@@_nom_ how many houses should one person/company own?

[@chrisallum9044]

You don't have a right to other peoples labor. That's called slavery.

[@theonelad3028]

@@chrisallum9044 that do be capitalism

[@markwairepo2871]

@@chrisallum9044 your reply is non sensical

[@deanwhale367]

I had to spend every Saving study link was so useless did everything on the paper work for them didn’t have student loan it was stupid plus rent should come down. Politics is a was a time my own experience.

[@teamariastyle7622]

Cost of living vs quality of living in New Zealand is horrid. The more people have money to spend they spend back to society. Investors might not and the money drains overseas instead of uplifting nz. If a single person in nz cannot support themselves financially there is something wrong big time.

[@donnam1832]

Students are privileged by its nature. What about normal adults working and having to pay more than 50% of income for a basic rental.

[@jonymanay]

They think its hard now wait till they finish and get a job. Pay all that tax and a student loan.

[@CreativeReaper90s]

​@@jonymanayfyi just imagine the foreign students comes to NZ with 3 to 4 times more cost than what the locals pay😂😂😂

[@loubliss7471]

They should be praised and rewarded for their achievements as there is so many drop outs and kids not interested in carrying on to get qualified

[@deficator750]

i had to put my rent up because of rising interest rates just to break even.

[@deficator750]

@samjones1472 i worked hard for this house i only own 1 house and i rent in a sleep out. What happens when YOU own a house? your going change your views on housing i bet. Secondly if there were zero rental properties on the market where on earth would people live? a deposit for a home is 20% or average $100-120k thats including a decent income to service the mortgage. Your arguement would make 30-40% of NZders homeless. We need landlords.

[@SeriousSchitt]

@@deficator750”Because interest rates went up”? Hmm. See, what most Landlords (and tenants) fail to understand is, a Landlord’s ‘mortgage’ has nothing to do with how rent is set, or shouldn’t have. Let me explain how charging for rent should work. A Landlord should be charging for Rates, Insurance, Secondary Income Tax (if any) Maintenance (obviously an estimated amount, perhaps based on previous years) and a Fair and Reasonable Profit, for making your (so called) “investment” worthwhile. For example: Some Landlords pay interest on mortgages on their rental properties of $40k (or more) per year (1 property. Now, if that were passed onto the tenants in the form of rent, the tenant would be up for $770 per week, before the price of rent even began. It also lends credence to what most tenants say, that if interest rates drop, or should the Landlord ever pay off his mortgage, then the tenant should get a proportional reduction in rent, as they would then be paying a rather large portion of their rent money on a Landlord’s interest that no longer exists. (Exorbitant profit for the Landlord, I guess)? A mortgage on a rental property is ‘personal’ between the Landlord and the Bank and shouldn’t involve the tenant, therefore it is vitally important that the Government honour it’s tax breaks for Landlord’s “business losses” like any other business that runs at a loss and claims on mortgage interest rates, as that ‘is’ a business loss. If interest rates ever go down on me, or I ever miraculously pay my mortgage off (on my rental property) I’ll owe my tenants absolutely nothing because I never charged them for interest (or any part of my mortgage) in the first place, and that’s the way it should be. Now, ‘profit portion of the rent payment’? That’s to be used at the Landlord’s discretion. A Landlord could choose to save it or spend it on hand bags and bubble gum. I use 100% of my weekly take home pay and the ‘profit’ portion of the rental income to pay for my mortgage (as I have done for the past nine years) but I ‘never’ charge for the mortgage, or any part of it, per-se! Basically, if you did put the rent up because interest rates went (which you shouldn’t have done) then the rent should drop as interest rates drop for it’s your ‘tenants’ that are paying for it, not you.

[@beachnagger9723]

Blame immigration.

[@a-k6575]

Greed at the cost of education, that sucks! I've been watching this trend the last nine years, how rents are increased to the equivalent of the raised living allowance, often higher defeats the purpose of gaining higher education. It's about time NZ seriously considers adopting the Danish and Finnish system of education, shorter working week even if it means higher taxes however, these mentioned nations have only a few more people and yet annually voted as the happiest people. They don't have the crime, high % of cancer sufferers, nor suicide at the rate NZ has.

[@chrisallum9044]

The greed is the university. The government gives free loans to kids that pay no attention to the university price so the university can charge anything and get paid...and they do just that. The land lords aren't the reason for the rent prices, this government is for two reasons. the changes they made for taxes and building rules. The printing of money to fund their overspending. So a dollar is worth less and it costs more to build and maintain housing...that means rent goes up. Landlords are not making more, they are making less. Chloe is part of the government that caused this. Her ideas are the cause. She may mean well but her "solutions" cause the very thing she claims she wants to help

[@jr8899]

Yep government policies and overspending with inflation, mortgage rates increasing significantly,then watch as students go over to oz for a better work, salary cost of living balance,

[@williamahn7093]

​@Chris Allum you remind me of Peter Schiff.

[@lowtech_1]

Everyone suffers from inflation.

[@williamahn7093]

I have a solution to the problem. Don't go to universities. I am voting for the party who wants to abolish the student loan and allowance system. Let the free market rules the education. I hate to say it, but universities do more harm than good. It is impossible to survive without your parents when you are studying. It has been this way and will be this way.

[@theandrewbarry6347]

My rents only $200p/w But thats on a dairyfarm and im doing 14hr days 12/2 roster getting taxed outta existence. Plenty of dairyfarm jobs out there if your struggling in front of the heatpump.

[@Benjamin-om3ih]

Yeah I'm sure those students are living a lavish lifestyle

[@tedchandran]

Jai Hinduja. Rather than blaming avaricious landlords, the government policies are mainly to blame for the student plights.

[@nikkster01]

well students you know what to do in OCt make sure the renter outer party gets rented out ps thats the guy with the 6 rental properties

[@lean_sumek]

Yes we can not have a great proposition

[@elisebalk]

Universal Minimum income And Wealth tax

[@chrisallum9044]

Both terrible ideas because both have the opposite outcome to what you are hoping for. You know how we have crazy high inflation causing the living crisis right now? That's because of the "UMI" we had when the government shut everything down. That is what actually happens when you just print money and give it to people. I'm sure you mean well but your solutions are like trying to put out a fire with a flamethrower. UMI means LESS for the poor. Wealth tax means those with wealth leave with that wealth lowering the tax revenue. It's like thinking a shop can charge more for ice creams and will sell the same number of ice creams...what happens is they sell fewer and make less money at the higher price. If you actually want to help you need to find ways to increase production. More stuff means lower prices and more for everyone. More money just means money is worth less aka inflation and a cost of living crisis. Think of it like a pizza, more money is like more slices of the same pizza....it's the same amount of pizza.

[@markwairepo2871]

@@chrisallum9044 gee l wonder whose trying to protect his I'll gotten gains....

[@theonelad3028]

@@chrisallum9044 So a ubi is not a bad idea its been proven time and time again as only a good thing when paired with a fair and proper tax system. cant have one without the other and many of those psychos who decide that owning property isnt a right but a profitable venture fight hard for it not to happen

[@jonymanay]

Whats the dole and minimum wage. If you actually got a job youd see we all pay taxes those of us that work.

[@theonelad3028]

@@jonymanay minimum wage is that the minimum not a living wage. A ubi would provide a bit of humanity for everyone. It requires not going through the what has been deemed by our neoliberal systems should be a humiliating process to get support

[@GoldMoon82]

Rather than assigning blame to landlords, it would be more productive to understand the reasons behind the recent rent increases and consider what types of policies or support might benefit both landlords and tenants. Rental properties are a business and New Zealand operates as a market economy, not a communist country. In recent years, landlords have faced significant challenges, and it's important to acknowledge that they also require support from the government.

[@sammytdawg8816]

I’m working 30 hrs a week and study full time

[@GoldMoon82]

Ten years ago, we used to mock countries where people worked for over 80 hours a week, due to the lack of work-life balance. However, now, I find myself working full-time and doing Uber for more than 20 hours just to cover the additional taxes and interest rates imposed by this government.

[@williamahn7093]

Bulls***!

[@SeriousSchitt]

sammytdawg8816: Pheew, just as well you own your home outright then, aye bro.

[@MG-fr3tn]

The whole country bleeds capitails, thats right the s means multipile for one asspect of the economy. Old zealand at least get it balanced and stop being a in joke for oz wealth.

[@bye692001]

Thanks Labour, look at the good things you have done.