Executive Officer's Report April 2021 By Sharon Cullwick

I've often been asked, "What does NZPIF do for our Association?" I've therefore decided to prepare a monthly update of what NZPIF has been up to in previous weeks.

Since this is the first of these external updates for members, I will include some details from the last couple of months.

In April, I have had the opportunity to travel to many associations to inform members of changes announced which complement the Housing Acceleration Fund 2021. These include removal of interest tax deductibility, the extension of the Bright Line Test, and limiting rent increases to once per year per property.

Presentations at Association Meetings

• 12th April - Tauranga PIA (this was cancelled due to flight disruptions from bad weather – another meeting will be organised for this)
• 13th April - Wellington PIA
• 20^th April - Nelson PIA
• 21^st April - Marlborough PIA
• 28^th April – Northland PIA

Upcoming Presentations at Association Meetings:

• 3^rd May – Christchurch PIA
• 8^th June – Rotorua PIA
• 15^th June – Taranaki PIA

Media – NZPIF

• In March, NZPIF appeared 38 times in media interviews. This includes TV, radio, and printed material.
• In April, NZPIF appeared 28 times in media interviews. This includes TV, radio, and printed material.
• NZPIF distributed 2 media releases each month.
• A NZPIF article is included in each monthly issue of the New Zealand Property Investor
• Juno Magazine regularly requests articles from NZPIF 
• An article for Business View Magazine is scheduled for May
• I met with Ann Gibson who writes on property issues in the NZ Herald.

On average NZPIF appears in one form of media daily. I am always looking to use these opportunities to promote the local Property Investors' Associations and it is pleasing to see local PIA Presidents being quoted from time to time as well.

Survey

We completed a survey of our members on how the removal of interest tax deductibility and the extension of the Bright Line will affect our members.

Other meetings in April:

• Privacy Commission meeting – I've provided the Privacy Commission with a 'nice to have' and 'must have' list of items which we ask in our tenant applications forms. (These Tenant Application forms can be found at nzpif.org.nz in the Members Only section). Kerry Beveridge is working with the Privacy Commission on an acceptable and legal version of a tenant register - details are still to be finalised.
• Housing and Urban Development – I meet with HUD about every 6 weeks. I have an enormous list of things which I discuss with them.
• Inland Revenue – A meeting was organised with this department by HUD so we could talk over the issues of interest tax deductibility and Bright Line extension. It was great to have the two departments together. Each became more aware of the other's issues which need to be kept in mind when they are writing the details of the legislation. I have provided IRD with a list of questions on the interest tax deductibility issue which they will use to make sure that everything is covered in their discussion document. The consultation process will be over approximately 5 weeks and will be used as another way to ensure everything is covered in the legislation.
• HUD – A stakeholders' meeting on information services. This was a meeting to find out how stakeholders use their web site and what information can be added to help them.
• HUD – another meeting on the next 10-25 years of housing in New Zealand.

Upcoming Meetings:

• Grant Robertson, David Parker, Poto Williams and Megan Woods. That will be interesting!
• Tenant Protection Christchurch
• Renters United
• Easy Rent – a subsidiary of Renters United.
• REINZ – I have 6 weekly meetings with REINZ property management division about the current market situation. This is great to hear things from a property manager's side.
• NZPIF will be appearing in a MBIE update on how to run a successful property investment company.
• Housing and Urban Development - Family Violence and Assault of landlord or landlord's representative.
• NZPIF Communications Meeting.

Presidents' meeting:

I hold monthly online meetings for Presidents.  Your President amd some of the members of your executive teams are invited to participate in these.  I prepare PowerPoint presentations which smaller associations can show at their monthly meetings.  In these I update the Presidents with vital information relevant to the work of rental property providers.

An example of what is included in these presentations is everything you need to know about Healthy Homes and the RTA changes. Another example is information about the different benefits which are available for tenants to help with rent payments if they lose their jobs due to Covid-19.  The presentations also include items which NZPIF is working on at present.

These PowerPoing presentations are uploaded on to the NZPIF website under the Menu heading Resources and sub heading Landlord Information. You can refer to them at any stage.

Other things the NZPIF is keeping its eye on

• Reserve Bank of NZ Bill - focuses on reforming overall governance and accountability arrangements of the Reserve Bank.
• Unit titles – changes to the Unit Title Act. This is up to the submission stage. Information has been sent to our members for them to engage in this process if they are interested.
• Incorporated Societies Bill which was introduced March 2021

Please note some discussions I have in the meetings listed are confidential so I cannot discuss details of these.