National's new rental property proposal will encourage an "us vs them" mentality, according to Renters United president Geordie Rogers.
National would bring back no-cause rental terminations and scrap rules which allow fixed-term tenancies to roll onto periodic tenancies, should it be elected to government at the election.
But speaking to Breakfast this morning, Rodgers said National are more interested in making money rather than housing Kiwis.
"The fact that National has come in and said we should be able to kick people out [of their homes] without any reason, instead of perhaps suggesting some extra reasons that they might want to add, suggests to me that they're more interested in people being able to keep a profit rather than keeping people in homes."
He also said National's claim that there's been a decrease in supply in the rental market is "factually incorrect".
"I was looking at the bond data that MBIE provides freely and is freely available to ministers such as Chris [Bishop] to have a look at.
"We've actually seen the fastest uptick in new bonds being lodged with tenancy services since the pre-pandemic times around 2020 and when you look at the trends of new people coming into the rental market, by in large providing a house to someone is still extremely profitable."
Rodgers said it's obvious National's proposal is not the solution to the troubled rental market and he is hesitant to agree with Bishop that it's a "pro tenant" solution.
"Ultimately, it is pro landlord and we do have to talk about the fact that there is an us versus them, there is an inherent power imbalance."
Also speaking to Breakfast this morning, National Party housing spokesperson Chris Bishop said the proposed changes are "sensible" and will "bring back some balance" to the rental market.
"Labour's policies have created a housing catastrophe in New Zealand and we need to change them, not double down on the dumb policies they have implemented that has caused this crisis."
The changes would be alongside the party's commitment to restore interest deductibility — which allows landlords to deduct interest as a tax expense — and restoring the bright-line test to two years.
The brightline test was increased to 10 years in 2021. It means if a residential property is sold within a certain period of time, there may be income tax on any capital gains.
Bishop said yesterday Labour had "waged a war on landlords" since 2017 and the "collateral damage" was borne by tenants.
"Labour's removal in 2021 of no-cause terminations and the near-automatic rollover of fixed term tenancies into periodic tenancies may have been well intentioned, but they have backfired badly, discouraging landlords from offering their properties up for rent."
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