Nelsons rental shortage at crisis point

Nelson Property Investors Association secretary Glenn Morris said he'd also had people crying on the phone in desperation at the lack of accommodation in Nelson.

"I've even had Housing New Zealand ring me personally a couple of times over the past few weeks asking if I had any properties, because they've had great people, but they just couldn't find them anything," he said.

Mr Morris said there was an "absolute buying frenzy" as investors sought to make a profit by buying and quickly on-selling houses on a rising market.

Nelson house prices have risen up to 35 percent in the past year, while the AMP home affordability survey has declined 29 percent.

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