A survey of Kiwi landlords has revealed 12 percent would never consider providing a rent discount even if their tenants asked for it amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
In a survey of homeowners by CoreLogic, 17 percent said they would consider offering rent relief to tenants on a case-by-case basis and just 16 percent said they had already given discounts.
However 12 percent said they would "not even consider" offering a discount even if their tenants asked.
Of the 272 homeowners surveyed more than half (53 percent) of them owned four or more investment properties.
The refusal to offer rent relief ties in with comments made by the chief executive of Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) Bindi Norwell before the lockdown in March.
Norwell told Newshub landlords, on the whole, were not planning any rent reduction or freeze despite the looming recession.
"Property managers are obviously trying to remain respectful of any potential COVID-19 effects when following up any rental arrears," Norwell said.
While the Government has frozen rent increases for six months and banned evictions for the duration of the lockdown many renters are still struggling to make ends meet.
More than 200 Kiwis have signed a petition calling for a nationwide rent strike and an 84,000 strong petition pleading for rent and mortgages to be suspended was delivered to Parliament in April.
