Photo / 123RFAn Upper Hutt pensioner is scrambling to find a way to get by after being told her rent would increase by $135 a week to keep in line with the market. She is currently paying $410 per week for the flat, where she has been living with her daughter for about five years. The maximum amount a single person on the pension can receive while sharing accommodation is $391 a week after tax. Not only could they only increase rent once a year, but they also couldn't increase it more than once a year if a new tenant came in. This meant if someone was paying well below market rent, landlords were in a tricky spot if they wanted to bring the rental cost up to market levels, she said.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 31, 2021 00:53 UTC