Homeless
February 16th, 2012 at 10:02 am by David FarrarStuff reports:
Ms Ngatai was evicted from the Charles Cr house, where she lived with her partner and eight children, on January 26, following a tenancy tribunal hearing which found she had not paid rent in over a month.
Property manager Flo Drabble, who inspected the house after the eviction, said it was so filthy that she vomited while trying to clean it.
“In all honesty it was the worst condition property I have ever been in.”
The walls and floors were apparently filthy, it reeked of urine, windows were smashed, animal faeces were scattered inside and it was riddled with insects.
Miss Drabble said the house will need to be fumigated and the carpet needed replacing.
Ms Ngatai, along with her partner and children, aged three to 15, are now living in a tent in the backyard of her cousin’s home in Putaruru.
It sounds like the tents may be more hygienic.
On February 11, 2009, Ms Ngatai and her partner, who are both beneficiaries, entered into a rent-to-buy agreement, at $336 per week, with Auckland-based property investor Mike Hyams.
The house was in the process of being renovated throughout, but Ms Ngatai needed a place to live and thought owning a home would be a good investment for the future.
She said it had no hot water or electricity, leaking pipes, no kitchen, faulty wiring and rubbish littered everywhere.
She claims to have invested thousands of dollars of her own money into maintenance of the property.
“The conditions were, [Mr Hyams] was supposed to do the house up and he didn’t. We were stuck for three years fixing up electricals and plumbing.”
Mr Hyams said he wiped off more than $6000 of money owed based on these allegations.
In November 2009, Ms Ngatai could no longer afford to purchase the property and it was agreed she could remain as a tenant at a weekly rental of $165. The Times was shown a tenancy agreement signed by both parties on November 6, 2009.
So the evil landlord was charging them just $165 a week.
As of May 12, 2011, Ms Ngatai owed $4300 in arrears, which is recorded in a tenancy tribunal application by Mr Hyams.
So around 25 weeks of arrears.
Incidentally I’ve done a quick estimate of how much money the family should have been getting in benefits and it is $980 (after tax).
But I guess some will still say that the problem is that benefits are not high enough.
Related posts:
- Going overboard on the perks
- Office rented from partner
- Buy vs Rent
- Is there anything the left do not label racist?
February 16th, 2012 at 10:19 am
The words scum and parasite are too kind and generous to describe this native.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 10:35 am
I dealt with this type professionally for years. I cannot stand them. Bludging scum. As I said in the General Debate thread, she would be getting more in benefits each week than I earned through most of my working life.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 10:36 am
Cool, another success story for our glorious welfare system. Obviously this woman deserves an upgrade in welfare payments, perhaps enough to hire a maid and butler.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 10:37 am
“But I guess some will still say that the problem is that benefits are not high enough”
AFAIK no-one has said that, or even inferred it. That’s not remotely the angle of the article.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 10:44 am
She just had to have eight children.
Vote:I am sure that eight different fathers are paying their share ?
February 16th, 2012 at 10:52 am
And why have Housing NZ not built a purpose-built 9 bedroom (or 10 B/R to allow for visiting guests) house for her and her menagerie?
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 10:56 am
AFAIK no-one has said that, or even inferred it. That’s not remotely the angle of the article.
Right, cause the only thing that has ever happened in the history of the world is this particular news article…
Do you have the ability to retain knowledge? Do you ever read an article or opinion on day, another the next then link the two together?
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 11:16 am
I guess some will still say that the problem is that benefits are not high enough.
My reading of the article is that this unfortunate — and likely not sharp-as-a-tack — woman and her partner have been ripped off by Mr Hyams, who comes across as something of a wide boy.
But that of course does not prevent the dog whistle producing its usual venomous bile.
Wait till Ms Odgers gets her poisonous teeth into this one!
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 11:26 am
And what you deliberately delete from the version you have published of a much longer article are the very important opening paragraphs:
A woman who helped to expose a Waikato rent-to-buy scam on television is now living in a tent with her eight children.
The situation came about after she was evicted from a house owing more than $4300 in rent and leaving it “absolutely filthy”.
However, Putaruru mother Lisa Ngatai, who appeared on the TV2 show My House My Castle last year, claims she is in credit with her rent payments and that the house was a “shocking mess” when she moved in to the property in 2009.
And further down in the article, the wide-boy she helped exposed is gloating at her fate:
Mr Hyams, who owns over 120 properties in South Waikato, had no sympathy for Ms Ngatai’s position and said she was a “troublemaker”.
But then, most of the people inhabiting this sewer would cheer for Mr Hyams.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 11:59 am
“…But then, most of the people inhabiting this sewer would cheer for Mr Hyams”
I am unashamedly cheering for Mr Hyams over the unemployed parasite! Go you good thing….
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 12:05 pm
She’s been living there for 3 years and the place is filthy. Didn’t Mr Hyams provide her with a maid service? Nasty man.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Why isn’t this family in a HNZ home? Is there history there? How come the property this woman rented had no electricity, hot water etc?
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
I can’t get past the fact this lot were happily living wiith piss and dog shit all over the place.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 1:59 pm
have we reached the point when the moral thing to do for the “common good”is to gas people like this…?
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
Dave A,
But then, most of the people inhabiting this sewer would cheer for Mr Hyams.
I would certainly believe him over a person who sees fit to have eight children which she can’t support on her own. That fact alone demonstrates she is irresponsible and not credible. Moreover, the tenancy tribunal has apparently agreed with the landlord and it was agreed that installments would be made towards the arrears and if not the tenancy would be terminated. She can talk about a lawyer all she wants, she just sounds like an idiot to me.
As a liberal I find a number of things to disagree with in this blog but it is far from a sewer. Presumeably most people here are able to maintain a job and maintain appropriate accomodation and do not force 8 children to live in tents through their own idiocy and incompetenence.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
No doubt its the white man’s fault they let the dog shit indoors, I can’t quite see how, but I’m sure scott chris will be along any minute to explain
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Why are you surprised? It’s normal behaviour among dogs and other animals.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 2:23 pm
How is it that CYF are allowing this woman to neglect her children in this way?
The government is charged by society with the responsibility of protecting children from negligent parents.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 2:24 pm
Put it away, I know lefties are fond of quota systems and such-like, but one piece of dog shit on the floor is a piece too many in my view.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
It’s notable that not one poster here has been able to seperate the children from the mother when expressing their venom for her. She might have willingly flopped into a ‘rent to buy’ hole, even not had the sense to avoid having a large family but I can’t blame the kids for anything or see them as collateral gauged by the mother’s apparent stupidity, or cunning gone wrong. We see what the ‘scorned’ says above is the solution, ffs, are next we going to have hit squads against the poor.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
This woman has been taken to the Tenancy Tribunal in 2009, 2010 and in 2011, and lost on every occasion. I think the worst one was her falling asleep whilst running a bath and causing $20,000 worth of flood damage.
https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/TT/abstract.html?id=11/00711/RO
Vote:https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/TT/abstract.html?id=10/01172/HN
https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/TT/abstract.html?id=09/01693/HN
February 16th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
It’s notable that not one poster here has been able to seperate the children from the mother when expressing their venom for her….but I can’t blame the kids for anything
Both Scott Chris and myself expressed concern with how the children are treated as a consequence of their mother’s incompetence and negligence. I find it abhorrent that she has created a situation that no child should have to endure. I don’t blame them for anything and I share Scott Chris’ concern that children can be neglected in this way.
Also I presume scorned’s suggestion was made in jest.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 4:08 pm
I find a number of things to disagree with in this blog but it is far from a sewer. Presumeably most people here are able to maintain a job
If you look at the times people post here, it is palpably obvious that virtually everyone here is posting from their work computers in their bosses’ time.
There are hardly any responses outside of 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.
I am on holiday until Monday, so blah.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Big fail Dave A, posted at home about 10.30, the wife and myself have already done 4-6 hours work each and more to come. Surely the 9 to 5 work day is far less common these days then it once was?
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 6:17 pm
Weihana 3.10
Point taken.
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
Homeless my arse. They have a tent and choose to live in it. Camping is fun.
You may find the Vitamins A, D, M, and P involved (Alcahol, Dope, Methamphetamine and P, double dose)
Vote:February 16th, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Good evening all i am the property manager in question that attended the property located at 15 Charles Cres in Putaruru. I am here to speak in defense of our company. The public has forgotten to take in to consideration how “us” as a company have been left to pick up the pieces after this tenant vacating. We have been more than decent to this family taking into consideration that this occupant has children who have live in this community and attend the public schools, and because of this we have been generous with our statements within the community. It is beyond me why this tenant would even go to the papers after the condition she left the property in. The Reporter had our side of the story and obviously chose to sympathize with the tenant even though the photos he had in his possession clearly indicated how this tenant had been living and the condition of the property from them vacating.
The wider community fails to acknowledge that although this company owns multiple properties, if a tenant or multiple tenants fail to pay their rent then the chain reaction follows that financially things become “tight” for the company. Re the tenant in question as an example only together with arrears plus damages from her tenancy ie Excessive amount of tip fees from removing her rubbish, replacement toilet, gibbing, carpet replacement, fumigation, house cleaning, windows etc ALSO cost of labour for these issues being dealt with i ask “How dare the community look down upon this company as the big bad wolf”???
Also this seems to be the “norm” i have learnt of past few months that tenants commonly abandon or vacate properties once they are in arrears and more than often leaving behind rubbish, damage to the property, no cleaning done,locks needing to be changed and yet again the wider community does not acknowledge this.
This case truely has hit a tender spot for me personally because i am also a mother. No i am not a beneficiary, I have to make myself available 7 days a week to deal with issues such as this but yet i still keep my house clean. I have strong values about providing the basic neccessities of life for children whether you be a parent, gaurdian or caregiver. We all have personal and financial issues but keeping a clean home comes free because all you need is “elbow grease” which costs nothing because it is free!
Furthermore i believeit is our utmost responiblity as “parents” to do right by our children and if our environment is not healthy in any shape or form than we are responsible for taking the neccessary steps to make things acceptable. No body has the right to blame others for ill choices one may make which may overall affect our family. If this persons chooses to live in a tenant it is that exactly ” she chooses”
Vote:Thankyou all that have taken time to read my input
February 16th, 2012 at 11:17 pm
and also to be clear for the public there was no animal faeces scattered throughout the house as the reported has implied along with other statments he has wrong. The faeces from animals were located in the shed as the reporter could clearly see from the photos he has in his possession.
Vote:February 17th, 2012 at 8:56 am
fdrabble – thank you for your first-hand account of the true situation about this story in the newspaper.
Have you considered submitting a complaint to the Press Council over the apparently false reporting by the journalist involved?
Vote:February 17th, 2012 at 9:52 am
Our company is taking neccessary steps to put things right, thankyou.
Vote: