Erin Thomson said the large rent increase is 'disgusting'. Photo: RNZ / Lauren Crimp
People living in Hastings senior council flats have accepted an imminent rent increase is necessary - but wish it had been managed differently to avoid one big hit to the pocket.
From the end of January, rent will more than double for some of those living in 220 homes across nine council senior housing complexes in Hastings, Havelock North and Flaxmere.
Longer standing tenants currently pay $117 weekly, and anyone who had moved in since July last year pays $178.50 - but that will jump to $260 a week.
Current rents were not enough to keep the service sustainable long-term, Hastings District Council said.
Tenants at Cambridge Court were mostly ambivalent, saying rent was cheap and government subsidies would help meet much of the extra cost.
But council should have increased rent over time, rather than springing such a large hike on them, they said.
It would be a struggle for renter Erin Thomson.
"I think it's disgusting," she said.
"It's a big jump, they could have done it in smaller lots over say, three years."
She understood she would get another $98 a week from Work and Income - but she had to find $42 more a week to top it up.
"Without that accommodation [supplement], they're taking over half our superannuation off us.
"How are we supposed to live?"
While it "looked bad on the surface", with Work and Income support it would not sting too much, said George Burns.
"It's gonna hurt, but it's not the end of the world.
"I've got a good wee possie here, and to be honest with you, I think the rent was cheap."
But he also agreed council could have staged the increases.
"I would have thought it might have been maybe, half this year and half next year, but they've got some real pressing commitments on their side."
Neighbour Patrick Waikari was resigned to the increase, and said Work and Income would have to come to the party - he could not afford it otherwise.
"There's nothing we can do, really.
"Gotta roll with it."
The increase was a tough decision for council, said mayor Sandra Hazlehurst.
"That was a real concern for us, having these rents increase at such a level."
But rising costs had hit council hard, and made the hefty hike unavoidable, she said.
"We want to be looking after our tenants, we value them, they are very dear to us.
"It's just about managing their properties, and all the other escalating costs, and at the same time, trying to provide the level of service that they need.
"It was just unsustainable."