26-03-2023, 04:50 PM
At first I skimmed it thinking that it was just another "woe is me" article where Stuff takes the word of someone without allowing the other side of the story a look in. I've seen a couple of those where I knew the background and the lack of balance to the point of dishonesty is the reason I rarely read Stuff.
Then, for this one, I did take a second look and read it thoroughly. If it is all from one person she is clearly so clinically depressed that her most important need is medical care. But I doubt that it is one person's perception. Yes, it does say "her and others’ experience of poverty" and it reads as a compilation of everything that can be negative for people who are hard up. If it stood up to critical analysis it would be a good "what can happen" but it doesn't even do that.
The first step in analysing something is to compare it with what you already know about. So, as a landlord with a partner who has worked widely within the rental industry, I can criticise the parts that relate to my experience. Eg:
- she complains about the fridge, but it's not normal to be supplied a fridge in a rental. So instead of complaining about it she could be grateful that the landlord gave her something to use until she can get to WINZ and organise purchase of a new one. That's what tenants do.
- she wants sugar soap to fix the mould. Good on the landlord if he is giving her some. It's a bit dearer than the cheap dishwash I buy at the supermarket and the detergent factor is stronger, but it's only good for cleaning the stain. The mould needs to be treated with vinegar and the house kept dry. Unless the house is damp because of leaks or being built on a swamp, mould comes from the spores in the air growing because of excess people moisture.
- she "knows the laws of tenancy rights" but is "resigned to the knowledge they are rarely observed or enforced". Rubbish. The tenancy tribunal errs greatly on the side of tenants so if there is something wrong that is the tenant's right she has only to go through the process.
- I have never heard of a tenancy agreement forbidding indoor plants, and after the last round of law changes if she wanted to put up shelves to grow vegetables in window boxes, the landlord must be consulted but is not allowed to refuse without good reason.
And so on.
The article also states at the top that this person owned a business for 22 years. Yet the author then bemoans that minimum wage is too low. When she was in business she would have known that forcing higher wages just forces business owners out of their businesses.
I'm sure that people who know about other aspects of the article would also find holes to pick. Stuff does itself no favours when it prints inconsistent and inaccurate articles, even if they are headed "opinion".
Yes, there are poor people who really are struggling. Yes, there are poor landlords, but most are good. Just as most tenants are good. The article is unbalanced, inaccurate and misleading.
Then, for this one, I did take a second look and read it thoroughly. If it is all from one person she is clearly so clinically depressed that her most important need is medical care. But I doubt that it is one person's perception. Yes, it does say "her and others’ experience of poverty" and it reads as a compilation of everything that can be negative for people who are hard up. If it stood up to critical analysis it would be a good "what can happen" but it doesn't even do that.
The first step in analysing something is to compare it with what you already know about. So, as a landlord with a partner who has worked widely within the rental industry, I can criticise the parts that relate to my experience. Eg:
- she complains about the fridge, but it's not normal to be supplied a fridge in a rental. So instead of complaining about it she could be grateful that the landlord gave her something to use until she can get to WINZ and organise purchase of a new one. That's what tenants do.
- she wants sugar soap to fix the mould. Good on the landlord if he is giving her some. It's a bit dearer than the cheap dishwash I buy at the supermarket and the detergent factor is stronger, but it's only good for cleaning the stain. The mould needs to be treated with vinegar and the house kept dry. Unless the house is damp because of leaks or being built on a swamp, mould comes from the spores in the air growing because of excess people moisture.
- she "knows the laws of tenancy rights" but is "resigned to the knowledge they are rarely observed or enforced". Rubbish. The tenancy tribunal errs greatly on the side of tenants so if there is something wrong that is the tenant's right she has only to go through the process.
- I have never heard of a tenancy agreement forbidding indoor plants, and after the last round of law changes if she wanted to put up shelves to grow vegetables in window boxes, the landlord must be consulted but is not allowed to refuse without good reason.
And so on.
The article also states at the top that this person owned a business for 22 years. Yet the author then bemoans that minimum wage is too low. When she was in business she would have known that forcing higher wages just forces business owners out of their businesses.
I'm sure that people who know about other aspects of the article would also find holes to pick. Stuff does itself no favours when it prints inconsistent and inaccurate articles, even if they are headed "opinion".
Yes, there are poor people who really are struggling. Yes, there are poor landlords, but most are good. Just as most tenants are good. The article is unbalanced, inaccurate and misleading.