Housing New Zealand have started paying compensation to state house tenants who were wrongly evicted for meth contamination.
Positive methamphetamine tests, that were later debunked, resulted in Housing New Zealand removing hundreds of families from its properties.
Payments are being made on a case-by-case basis to cover expenses such as moving costs and furniture replacement.
Housing Minister Phil Twyford has announced the first 55 people are being paid from today with the average payment being $7735, with each affected tenant receiving a formal apology from Housing New Zealand.
Around 800 tenants could be eligible for several thousand dollars each in compensation after being evicted between 2013 and this year due to flawed testing.
Phil Twyford says Housing New Zealand is fronting up and redressing the hardships caused by the meth debacle.
"Housing NZ is working with other government agencies to find those affected and contact has been made with 295 people so far. A further 92 assistance claims have been approved, and once an offer has been made and accepted, these payments will be made immediately.
"I committed to having the first payments made by Christmas and our Government is following through. We’re committed to putting this right because this systemic failure of government had far reaching consequences for many people."
SHARE ME