City rental shortage puts bite on tenants

Bob Vandenberg, managing director of New Plymouth rental property management firm Energy City Realty, said there were barely any houses or flats available in the lower and mid price range.

"Flats, as a general rule, inner-city flats, there is virtually nothing available and there is even less available of the standard-type three-bedroom house."

In the past week or so a number of people had moved to New Plymouth to work in the building and engineering sectors, further increasing demand for ordinary three-bedroom houses, he said.

Properties for under $300 per week were quickly snapped up by tenants and some people were having to wait weeks to find what they wanted, Mr Vandenberg said.

"But they are not desperate, they are looking for something else before giving notice."

At the other end of the market, however, there was a shortage of tenants for executive-type houses over $300 per week, he said.

For the past fortnight New Plymouth's Olivia Neustroski has been looking in vain for a two or three-bedroom house to rent for herself, her partner and their young child.

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