31 Jul 2009

Housing NZ tenants lodge appeals over evictions

8:51 pm on 31 July 2009

Appeals have been filed against a ruling that allows Housing New Zealand to evict stubborn tenants in the Lower Hutt suburb of Pomare.

Five households in Farmer Crescent were issued with 90-day eviction notices after a spate of gang intimidation in February.

Billy Taylor, Robyn Winther and Huia Tamaka, who are partners of Mongrel Mob members, appealed against the evictions in the Tenancy Tribunal earlier this month.

The women said the evictions breached the Bill of Rights Act. Housing New Zealand argued the notices were lawful under the Residential Tenancies Act.

A tribunal decision has awarded possession of the three properties to Housing New Zealand.

Appeals on behalf of the three women were filed in the Lower Hutt District Court on Friday, but the court was unable to say when those might be heard.