A Northland man described as the ‘tenant from hell’ with a history of duping vulnerable home owners has been pinged by the Tenancy Tribunal.
The ruling comes as a relief to those in the property market following multiple changes to the tenancy law taking some power away from landlords.
Raymond Bird has now left the property many months after he said he needed two months' worth of temporary accommodation, after an order from the Tenancy Tribunal.
Landlord Michelle Hicks told 1 NEWS her story in December.
She had to cancel all her summer bookings because Bird and his family of four refused to move out.
“It was harrowing actually, I've had a couple of breakdowns,” she said.
“It eventually got sorted but should I really have to go to a lawyer to get someone out of my own house?”
He'd asked to stay for just two months and told Hicks he’d never rented before.
But Lorraine, a former landlord of his, happened to see Hicks’ plight on TV.
“It was during the 6 o'clock news and I thought ‘that sounds like Ray,’ then next minute friends started phoning, saying ‘that's your tenant,’” Lorraine said.
Bird had told both women that he'd sold his house and needed temporary accommodation.
“He was to stay three weeks and how long did he stay? Fifteen months,” Lorraine said.
Bird was also before the Tenancy Tribunal in 2018, refusing to move from a property that had sold despite being issued a 90-day notice.
Until February 11, landlords were able to issue a 90-day notice to get tenants out without stipulating a reason - but that's no longer the case.
The Property Investors Association say some landlords leapt in to issue notices before the February deadline.
Bird didn't respond to requests from 1 NEWS for an interview and while he's moved out, he is appealing an order to pay Hicks $14,000 in damages.
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