Glossary

A

ABP

Acronym for: Automatic Bank Payment

ACC

Acronym for: Accident Compensation Corporation

Acronym for: Auckland City Council

Accommodation Supplement

Income-related rent (IRR) has replaced all accommodation assistance paid to state house tenants and their partners prior to December 2000.

ACM

Acronym for: Auckland City Mission

Acts of nature

Housing New Zealand Corporation will meet the cost of repair for this damage:

Wind, Storm, Earthquake, Landslip, Subsidence and Flooding.

Annual Rent Reviews

Each year around the anniversary of the tenancy start date, the tenant will be advised of the property market rent and invited to apply for an income-related rent.

AOG

Acronym for: All of Government

Applicant

A person who will be a signatory to an Housing New Zealand Corporation tenancy agreement.

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B

Boarder

Other people living at the property who make contributions to the tenant or their partner towards the rent and who are 16 years or older and are financially independent.

Boarder/Flatmate Income

Income received from boarders/flatmates must be indicated in the Income-Related Rent application form under other people living at your rental property.

Boarder/flatmate payments will be ignored if there is only 1 or 2 boarders. Where there are more than 2 boarders, the 2 highest payers will not be included in the calculation of income-related rent.

Bond

The amount, usually equal to two week's income-related rent, that is paid by the customer after accepting an offer of a property. The bond is not held by Housing New Zealand Corporation but is held by the Bond Centre and is released or claimed when the tenancy ends. If the customer's account is up to date the bond may be refunded. If money is owned by the customer for either rent or damages it may be claimed by Housing New Zealand Corporation.

Bond Centre

The Tenancy Services Centre for the processing of all Tenancy Bonds.

BRANZ

Acronym for: Building Research Association New Zealand

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C

CAB

Acronym for: Citizens Advice Bureau

CEO

Acronym for: Chief Executive Officer

Change of Circumstances

When a tenant's household or income circumstances change at any time during the year they must apply for a reassessment of their income-related rent.

Chattel

Usually fittings such as carpet, drapes, etc and not a fixture which is an integral part of the dwelling structure.

CHRANZ

Acronym for: Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand

COC

Acronym for: Change of Circumstances

Community Group Housing

Provides properties and assistance in gaining access to houses to groups who support people in the community.

Acronym: CGH

Community Renewal

A partnership between Housing New Zealand Corporation and people living and working in the renewal areas to promote safe, healthy and confident communities.

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D

Dependant child

These are children who are not working full time (more than 30 hours a week) and not receiving a benefit, student allowance or other government assistance and who are:

17 years or younger
18 years and still at secondary school or a tertiary institution.

DPMC

Acronym for: Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet

DWI

Acronym for: Department of Work and Income.

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E

Eligibility Criteria

The Government housing policy requirements that must be met when allocating rental housing. This includes testing of residency status, income, assets and the presence of housing need.

Energy Efficiency Programme

A 10-15 year project to improve the living environment of all Housing New Zealand Corporation homes built before 1977 (approximately 42,000.

Eviction

A situation where a bailiff (officer of the court) has been involved in obtaining the departure of a tenant and vacant possession of the property for Housing New Zealand Corporation. This may only be performed after an order has been obtained from the Tenancy Tribunal and the Chief Executive (CEO) of Housing New Zealand Corporation has approved the eviction of the customer.

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F

Family Assistance

Family Assistance is financial help paid by Inland Revenue for tenants and partners who have dependent children 18 years or under living at home. For income-related rent purposes there are two types of Family Assistance: Family Support and Family Tax Credit.

Family Support

Work and Income NZ pay family support to those on an income tested benefit.

Family Tax Credit

Family Tax Credit is an additional payment to top a family's total income up to $286 a week after tax.

FAQ

Acronym for: Frequently Asked Questions.

Flatmate

Other people living at the property who make contributions to the tenant or their partner towards the rent and who are 16 years or older and are financially independent.

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G

GM

Acronym for: General Manager

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H

Healthy Housing

The Healthy Housing Programme is a joint initiative of Housing New Zealand Corporation , Auckland District Health Board, Counties-Manukau District Health Board and Northland District Health Board. These organisations work together throughout the programme to: increase awareness of infectious diseases; improve your access to health and social services; reduce the risk of housing-related health problems and reduce overcrowding.

Heartland Services

An across government intiatives which improves access to Government services for people in provincial and rural New Zealand. It is a one-stop-shop form which the local population may access a range of Government and other related services.

HIF

Acronym for: Housing Innovation Fund.

HNZC

Acronym for: Housing New Zealand Corporation

HNZC Review Office

An internal body made up of regionally based, operational staff independent of the Area Management who will review the initial decision and recommend a preferred outcome.

HomeBuy

HomeBuy Loans were offered from March 1996 to January 2002, as an incentive for Housing New Zealand Corporation tenants to buy houses they were renting.

Household Survey

If you agree to take part in the Household Survey, a researcher may call you during the five-year Housing, Crowding and Health study to talk about the survey and ask if you want to be interviewed in more detail.

Housing Appeals Authority

External body administered independently of Housing New Zealand Corporation comprising representatives appointed by the Minister.

Housing Enquiry

The process where applicants have their eligibility and urgency determined to progress to needs assessment. Applicants that do not meet the eligibility criteria will be directed to other alternatives for assistance.

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I

Income-Related Rent

An income-related rent is the rent payable for state housing based on the incomes of tenants and their partners.

Acronym: IRR.

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J

JASIS

Acronym for: Joint Agency Safety Information Sharing Group

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K

KHK

Acronym for: Kapa Hanga Kainga

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L

LIM

Acronym for: Land Information Memorandum

LINZ

Acronym for: Land Information New Zealand

Low Deposit Rural Loans

It is targeted at first home buyers who are low-modest income earners who want to buy or build in rural/regional areas. It includes a series of home ownership skills workshops, client support and advice services and access to a Housing New Zealand Corporation loan with a lower than normal deposit.

Acronym: LDRL.

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M

Maintenance

Work required to reinstate the function of an item, where the loss of function is due to fair wear and tear, or work to reduce the likelihood or extent of a loss of function.

Market Rent

The market rent for any tenancy shall be the rent that, without regard to the personal circumstances of the landlord or the tenant, a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, taking into consideration the general level of rents for comparable premises in the locality or similar localities and such other matters as the Tribunal considers relevant.

Mediation

A process where an impartial person (the mediator) helps people with a problem to find their own solution.

Mediation Order

The agreement reached at mediation written down as a Mediation Order which the mediator signs. Usually the landlord and the tenant sign the agreement as well. Each person is given a copy of the Mediation Order.

Modified Home

One which contains features that enhance the accessibility or suitability of a property for a customer with a disability.

MOH

Acronym for: Minister of Housing

Acronym for: Ministry of Health

Acronym for: Ministry of Housing

MSD

Acronym for: Ministry of Social Development

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N

NCC

Acronym for: National Contact Centre

NU

Acronym for: Neighbourhood Unit

NZ Resident

Someone who is normally and lawfully in New Zealand and intends to stay here, that is , they consider New Zealand to be their home.

NZDS

Acronym for: New Zealand Disability Strategy

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O

OIA

Acronym for: Official Information Act

OT

Acronym for: Occupational Therapist

Other Person

People living at the property who are not tenants or partners or a dependant of a tenant or partner. Other people can include:

friends
other children who are financially independent
relations
boarders
flatemates

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P

Papakainga Lending

Papakainga lending is available to enable people to borrow money to build or buy housing on Maori land in multiple ownership.

Partner

A person who is legally married to or has a 'relationship in the nature of marriage' with a tenant and has not signed the tenancy agreement (includes same sex couples).

Periodic Inspections

Inspections performed as often as necessary to either owned or leased properties to ensure property and tenancy issues are actively managed.

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Q

QV

Acronym for: Quotable Value

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R

RFI

Acronym for: Request for Information

RMA

Acronym for: Resource Management Act

RTA

Acronym for: Residential Tenancies Act

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S

SAS

Acronym for: Social Allocation System

Signatory

A person who signs the tenancy agreement

SOI

Acronym for: Statement of Intent

State House

Property owned or managed by Housing New Zealand Corporation

State Housing Appeals Authority

External body administered independently of Housing New Zealand Corporation comprising representatives appointed by the Minister.

Acronym: SHAA

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T

TA

Acronym for: Territorial Authority

Tenancy Agreement

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, all tenancies entered into after 1 December 1996 must have a written Tenancy Agreement. The landlord must provide a Tenancy Agreement which sets out the particular conditions that have been agreed to. Both landlord and tenant sign it and the landlord must give the tenant a copy before the tenancy begins.

Tenancy Services

A division of the Ministry of Housing. It has 21 dispute resolution offices throughout the country providing education, advice, Mediation and referrals to the Tenancy Tribunal; and a Tenancy Services Centre for the processing of all Tenancy Bonds.

Tenancy Tribunal

A court set up to deal with unresolved problems between landlords and tenants. It is part of the Department for Courts.

Tenancy Tribunal Order

The Tenancy Adjudicator decision. The landlord and the tenant are each given a copy. The adjudicators decision is a court order which both sides have to obey.