九一星空无限

ZB ZB
Opinion
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Up next
ZB

Hamilton tenant evicted from pensioner accommodation for antisocial behaviour

Author
Ben Leahy,
Publish Date
Thu, 16 Jan 2025, 2:30pm

Hamilton tenant evicted from pensioner accommodation for antisocial behaviour

Author
Ben Leahy,
Publish Date
Thu, 16 Jan 2025, 2:30pm
  • Epiha Michael Nathan was evicted from a pensioner apartment for anti-social behaviour involving drinking, fighting and loud music.
  • Neighbours also complained about him parking in a way that blocked other tenants' cars and ambulance access.
  • Nathan claimed most of the complaints against him were made up.

A Hamilton tenant has been booted out of afor 鈥渄rinking, arguing, yelling鈥 and getting into fights with mates.

Epiha Michael Nathan also had the police called on him, and regularly played loud music into the early hours of the morning, according to complaints from his elderly neighbours.

Others complained he often parked where he wasn鈥檛 supposed to, which in one instance impeded ambulance access to the 35-unit village on Livingstone St in Nawton.

Landlord, Accessible Properties, told the it had given Nathan three warnings within a 90-day period.

Each warning was backed with written complaints from neighbours.

鈥淭enants complained that that they were fed up with this behaviour of drunk fights with friends and visitors,鈥 tribunal adjudicator Tania Harris said in the recently-released decision.

鈥淥ne tenant called the police due to all the yelling and screaming.鈥

Nathan had been living in a single ground-floor apartment that was part of an 18-unit block within the social housing village, Harris said.

He had retirees living above and beside him in the double-storey block.

The first written notice given to Nathan and shown to the tribunal was from September 27 last year.

It quoted a neighbour saying how Nathan and a friend were fighting, while another retiree complained about 鈥渓oud music that he would not turn down, drinking sessions and him abusing his friends鈥.

An October 29 notice given to Nathan 鈥渨as for drinking, fighting, abusive language and fighting late at night鈥.

Then a November 4 notice was given for ongoing parking issues.

The landlord told the tribunal Nathan鈥檚 apartment did not come with an allocated car park as the 35-unit premises had only 16 parks.

Nathan hadn鈥檛 had a car when he moved in but later bought one and began parking on the main driveway near the rubbish bins, the tribunal heard.

This blocked access for ambulances, food deliveries and other residents using their own cars or being picked up and taken to appointments, Harris said.

The landlord said Nathan had also parked in other tenants' parks or behind their cars, meaning they couldn鈥檛 leave.

For his part, Nathan told the tribunal the parking signage was confusing and that he had assumed he was allowed to park inside the property grounds because it had signs saying the parking was for residents only.

He also assumed he was able to park in the main driveway because there was no yellow lines or signs saying he couldn鈥檛, he said.

But Harris said she believed it had been made clear to Nathan he was not allowed to park on the property.

鈥淭he continuation by the tenant of parking in no parking areas I find is a nuisance that is more than minor. It is ongoing and the tenant steadfastly refused to comply,鈥 she said.

In response, Nathan told the tribunal the landlord was harassing him by making up false complaints.

鈥淭he tenant agreed that some of the incidents complained about occurred but not all of them,鈥 Harris said.

Harris concluded Nathan鈥檚 tenancy should be terminated immediately.

Accessible Properties chief executive Kelly Bunyan told the Herald that as a community housing provider, its care extends not only to individual tenants but also to neighbours and residents inside and outside its complexes.

鈥淲hile we can鈥檛 comment on specific tenants or tenancy arrangements, we have a low tolerance for antisocial behaviour and will take action to protect people, our communities and our property,鈥 she said.

鈥淯nfortunately sometimes that action will result in eviction.鈥

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you