Dear Mr/Ms O'Sullivan,

Thank you for your request. I have made initial enquiries and no formal decision has been made by the Council or any council committee on this matter, therefore no minutes exist. I am attempting to find out from staff the current status of this project and will get back to you with a formal response to your request when I hear back.

Regards
Arlene

Arlene Goss
Governance Support Officer
Dunedin City Council

50 The Octagon, Dunedin; P O Box 5045, Moray Place, Dunedin 9058, New Zealand
Telephone: 03 477 4000
Email: [email address]

 

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Dear Mr O'Sullivan,

I apologise for the delay. I will get a formal response to you this week.

Regards
Arlene Goss

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A O'Sullivan

[1][mailto:[FYI request #3910 email]]

 

Dear Mr/Ms O'Sullivan,

Official information request for information about a possible rental
warrant of fitness.

I refer to your official information request dated April 19 for the
following information:

It has been publicly announced that Dunedin City Council is to introduce a
Rental Warrant of Fitness.

Please provide a copy of minutes in which the decision was made, and any
other correspondence relevant to the decision.

 

In addition please advise:

 

1. Whether the Rental WoF is to be compulsory or voluntary.

2. The proposed start date.

3. What public consultation was, or is to be, conducted on this issue.

4. What cost benefit analysis was, or is to be, done.

5. Does, or will, this CBA include the impact of increased rent on tenants
and the impact on housing supply.

6. Does, or will, this CBA include realistic set up and maintenance costs
of a new administration and compliance system, including but not limited
to IT systems, new staff and training requirements, new procedures and
documentation, education programme for landlords and tenants.

7. How will benefits be determined, measured and publicly reported on. If
this work is to be conducted by a third party, will the terms of reference
and proposed cost be publicly available.

8. Will the CBA be available for public comment.

9. Is the checklist to be used available now in its final format. If so
please provide a copy.

 

In reply, there has been no formal motion passed by Council to introduce a
rental warrant of fitness in Dunedin. Therefore your request has been
declined under Section 17(e) of the Local Government Official Information
and Meetings Act 1987 in that the information requested does not exist.

However, I am able to provide you with some helpful information on this
issue:

1.     Council did pass a resolution last year to "confirm its interest in
participating in the Housing Warrant of Fitness Study (conducted by the
University of Otago), noting the Council reserves the right to continue or
not after costs, resources and other possible opportunities are
identified. And also that the subsequent staff report include other
options for the implementation of minimum standards for rental housing."

2.     This study has now been completed and involved 24 houses in
Dunedin, along with houses in other parts of the country. The results of
this study can be found on the DCC website at:
[2]http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/__data/assets...

3.     Council's Property Manager has informed me that he is currently
working with the research team from the University of Otago to scope
whether a building warrant of fitness is viable. He says "critical data on
the average costs of bringing homes to a WOF standard have not yet been
published by the research team. An overview report and recommendations
will be included in a report to Council in August, 2016."

4.     On a related issue, the central government Select Committee on the
Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill (No 2) has called for submissions. At a
meeting on Monday, June 13, Council's Finance Committee approved a
submission that will be made by the council to this select committee. A
copy of that submission is available in the agenda for the Finance
Committee meeting on our website at:

[3]http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/__data/assets...

(See item 6 on the agenda).

 

I hope this information provides you with an update on where this matter
sits. If you wish to voice your opinion on this issue I suggest you
contact the Mayor or an elected councillor, as they will be making any
future decisions.

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of
this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
[4]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

If you wish to discuss this matter further with us, please feel free to
contact me and I can put you onto the appropriate member of staff for more
information.

Regards

Arlene Goss

Governance Support Officer

Dunedin City Council

 

50 The Octagon, Dunedin; P O Box 5045, Moray Place, Dunedin 9058, New
Zealand

Telephone:  03 477 4000

Email: [email address]

 

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References

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1. mailto:[mailto:[FYI request #3910 email]]
2. http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/__data/assets...
3. http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/__data/assets...
4. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
5. http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/
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A reply has been emailed to the fyi address below. Let me know if you do not receive it.
Thanks
Arlene

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