Stats NZ this week said rising rent prices were the biggest contributor to the annual inflation rate and almost 20% of the 2.2% annual increase in the consumer price index (CPI) was due to rent prices.

NZ Property Investors Federation spokesman Matt Ball said rates alone made up 16% of the overall 2.2% increase.

"Don't forget that rates are a very important contributor into rent," Mr Ball said.

"It's one of the costs, one of the big costs that landlords and property investors face." Read more

His comments follow a survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, that found that a quarter of landlords put up rents in the six months before May 2022, and one of the big reasons for this was increased costs lumped on by the Government.

"A key factor is landlords now not being able to claim their full interest costs as an expense. Alarmingly, that's only going to get worse as interest rates increase and the policy rolls out to completion," says Tim Kearins. Read more