New Zealand First is calling for Housing New Zealand to extend the seven-day time limit given to tenants to vacate Gordon Wilson Flats.

Housing spokesperson Denis O’Rourke says the 87 state housing tenants and 200 residents have been placed in a hopeless situation.

“Housing New Zealand has no vacancies in central Wellington which will leave tenants without HNZ accommodation. Many will be uprooted from their daily lives to live miles away in outer suburbs in the Hutt Valley and Porirua.”

Mr O’Rourke says the block of flats on The Terrace, in Wellington, requires urgent structural work on its concrete facades but is otherwise structurally sound.

“It is arrogant, unreasonable and unnecessary for HNZ to give only a week’s notice when the building is sound.

“While the urgency of the façade work to be carried out is acknowledged, there is no reason why a longer period of notice could not be given.

“HNZ are falling far short of the ‘good landlord’ standards to which it should adhere.

“They need to give tenants a longer period of notice while helping them to find affordable accommodation in central Wellington,” says Mr O’Rourke.