Kāinga Ora said the tenant had assaulted or threatened to assault neighbours. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Kāinga Ora has ended the tenancy of another tenant in Whangārei's Tikipunga, this time over allegations cats were being shot and neigbours threatened.
It comes after, in a unrelated case, Danielle Leaf-Marsh was evicted after what neighbours said was "psychological torture" from her parties and loud music.
Another tenant, Roger Woodgate, had his Kainga Ora tenancy of a Tikipunga property terminated at the end of January.
The Tenancy Tribunal was told he was the sole resident of a two-bedroom property, and the tenancy had started on 14 October, 2024.
But Kāinga Ora said he had assaulted or threatened to assault neighbours and had breached their peace, comfort and privacy.
A neighbour reported that on 11 November, he had shot his cat in the head and killed it. When he was confronted, he pulled a slug gun on a neighbour.
The tribunal adjudicator, Jenny Robson said, given the absence of any evidence to the contrary, it was more likely that not that Woodgate did threaten his neighbour.
She was not satisfied that it is unlikely that he would commit another act of this kind.
Kainga Ora said Woodgate had breached his obligation not to interfere with other tenants' peace comfort or privacy in several ways.
One neighbour said he had been shooting a BB gun and there were three dead cats outside their property.
"The caller also stated that Mr Woodgate had threatened to kill their dog when they were out walking," Robson noted.
"The caller was very concerned as they had only been in the neighbourhood for two weeks and had young children. No further details were provided regarding dates or times of this incident. It is understood this caller was not a tenant of KO."
Other neighbours said he could be seen yelling and throwing things in his backyard.
On 5 December, neighbours said he stopped traffic at 8.30am and threw small items at children walking to school.
Another neighbour said he had come to her property the day before demanding sugar, milk, tea, food and gas. She thought he might be diabetic so she let him in the gate and made him a cup of tea.
"She started to feel uncomfortable shortly after when he started describing what he does to women sexually with the stumps of his legs," Robson said.
"After she asked him to leave, he then threatened to have items stolen from her house and would arrange to have this done.
"He then began to wheel up and down the road throwing the items she had given him, blocking the road and being abusive to people driving past."
Robson said the incidents were not breaches that were capable of remedy.
He had also returned to his former residence and made tenants there feel so unsafe they ended their tenancy after two-and-a-half weeks, having waited seven years for a Kāinga Ora property.
"During the short period of the current tenancy it is clear there have been numerous breaches that have escalated in nature. There has been involvement with the tenant by KO and it employees and the Police but it appears unlikely the tenant will comply with his obligations in the future," Robson said.
"The behaviours are causing considerable distress and worry to the neighbours and I find that termination of the tenancy is an appropriate response to this application."
The tenant was incarcerated at the time of the hearing.
