Tenancy managers out and about

If you really do need to meet with us, that is not a problem. If the issue can’t be resolved over the phone, the Customer Services Centre will make an appointment for you to meet up with one of our staff.

We've changed the way we deliver our services to you to make sure it's more consistent than the past. It will also help us save money without compromising on that service.

These changes are about making sure the service we give you is more consistent than in the past but will also help us save money without compromising on that service. With all the routine queries such as maintenance being dealt with over the phone, our tenancy managers’ time has been freed up so that they can be out in the community focusing on the most important aspects of their work: matching potential tenants to properties, welcoming tenants, carrying out property inspections and managing the more complicated tenancy-related issues that are best sorted face to face.

That means if they need to see you, they can meet you at your home, or somewhere that suits you, rather than you having to come to us.

Getting in touch with us? Our office doors will be closed, but you can call 0800 801 601 any time

We’ve streamlined our services so you only need to know one number – 0800 801 601 – and you won’t need to make a special trip to our offices.

With one phone call, you can get help straight away from our trained, experienced housing advisors who will be able to deal with your problem or question on the spot. They can help with all your housing needs, including:

• getting your house or flat repaired
• checking your account
• making a complaint and providing feedback
• answering questions about debt, credit, income-related rent and the options you have if you want to move out of your state home
• getting in touch with organisations that can help you with things that aren’t just about your tenancy.

You can call our Customer Services Centre on 0800 801 601 any time, day or night. All calls are free of charge, even if you call from a mobile phone.

Why can I only contact Housing New Zealand through its 0800 number now?

We've made our Customer Services Centre bigger and directing calls to our freephone number 0800 801 601 because this is the best way for you to get the help you need.

The role of our tenancy managers is to manage our houses and the tenancies of the people living in them. By making better use of our 0800 number, we’ve been able to free up their time to do this more effectively and be out and about in the community more.

What if I want to talk to my tenancy manager?

It makes sense for us to direct your calls to our Customer Services Centre where fully trained housing advisors can help you on the spot. Housing advisors can usually help you more quickly than tenancy managers, who are often out in the community managing our houses and the tenancies of the people living in them.

We know almost all the calls our tenancy managers get are about things our Customer Services Centre housing advisors can deal with. If your circumstances mean you do need to talk to your tenancy manager, our housing advisors will arrange for that to happen.

What will happen if I call my tenancy manager or local Housing New Zealand office?

We’ve redirected calls from our local office and staff phone numbers to 0800 801 601, and they’re being answered at our Customer Services Centre. Our experienced housing advisors will be able to help you right away.

Can I drop in to my local Housing New Zealand office?

You need to use our freephone number 0800 801 601 rather than visiting us in person. Our offices are open only for scheduled appointments for full needs assessments.

Will I be able to see someone face to face at all?

Yes. Our tenancy managers are more mobile and are spending more time out in their neighbourhoods visiting tenants. In addition, tenancy advisors carry out full needs assessments at our offices.

If your query can’t be resolved on the spot by the Customer Services Centre, housing advisors will be able to arrange for you to meet with a staff member at home or somewhere else in your neighbourhood, rather than you needing to take the time and effort to come in to an office.

Making one-off cash payments

The best way to make your regular rent payments is with an automatic payment or order on benefit. If you haven’t set up an automatic payment to pay your rent, call our Customer Services Centre on 0800 801 601 and select Option 2 for rent or payments to find out how.

From time to time, you may need to make a one-off cash payment to us. Our local offices are open only for appointments for needs assessments. This means our EFTPOS machines aren’t available for making cash payments.

You can make payments by cash (including EFTPOS) or cheque at any branch of the Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) . If you owe us money, we will write to you, and include a BNZ deposit slip with your 9-digit customer reference number, to ensure your money goes into the right account. You will need to take the letter and the deposit slip with you.

We’re working now with our bank, Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), on making available more methods for cash payments, some of which you can use from home.

You might notice some small changes to your address details when we write to you

We’ve been looking at the address information we have for your tenancy to make sure it’s accurate and meets New Zealand Post standards so our letters reach you and get there quickly.

If you notice small changes to your address on letters, such as ‘smith st’ changing to ‘Smith Street’, or an extra detail such as a suburb or postcode, don’t worry – we’re simply making sure we have the right address for you.