Dear Housing New Zealand Corporation,

In October a tradesman repaired a tenants faulty veranda door lock . After removing the faulty lock he returned from the van with keys in one hand and the lock set in the other. There were only 2 keys given to the tenant.

A week later the tenant rang the a/hrs callcentre operator and asked about a 3rd key as only 2 were provided. He advised that they only supply 2 keys - the tenant explained for the last 20+ years he has always received 3 spare keys with each lock replacement. The operator then advised to call back the following day to speak to the actual HNZ callcentre operators.

The tenant then contacted the callcentre during the day and the operator advised the same thing that the locks only come with 2 keys. The tenant replied that in the last 20 years he has always received 3 sets of keys whenever locks were replaced. The operator advised if a 3rd key is needed a copy of it can be made.

At one stage, the tenant went to HNZ office's after not receiving any response to his email query on the matter - which related directly to the security of a tenants home. The office was closed but he managed to speak to a HNZ staff member in the foyer of the building and, once again, was advised the locks only ever come with 2 keys and again the tenant explained he has only ever had 3 keys provided to in the last 20+ years. The tenant explained he had sent an email previously with no response at all. She advised him to come back the following Monday and that it was nothing to do with her. The tenant raised his voice (as she was fobbing off a genuine concern for security of a tenants home and made no attempt to resolve the issue & wanted to forward the matter on) and told her that he wanted to speak to someone today about the matter as he has already waited a week.

Note: The issue was NEVER about getting a 3rd key but knowing why a 3rd key was not provided(as was the usual case).

Even though HNZ have advised repeatedly they only ever come with 2 spare keys, they have not resolved the query fully ie How is it that the tenant has always received 3 keys previously? A question remaining unanswered by HNZ for the last 3 months since the initial query was made.

HNZ staff, and ANY government agency are paid to exercise common sense, assertiveness and intuition - where was it in this case?

This leads me to the main question -"How can HNZ assure its tenants that they have received all keys from a tradesman/contractor/anyone when locks are replaced?"

I ask HNZ the following questions;

1. How is it that 3 keys were always provided in the past (20 years)?

2. How can HNZ assure its tenants that they have received all keys when locks are replaced?"

Yours faithfully,

D Dahya