Queenstown slumlord Conrad Goodger fined $81,050 - 117 tenants involved

A Queenstown landlord found to be operating multiple unlawful boarding houses has been ordered to pay $81,050 on behalf of 117 affected tenants.

The Tenancy Tribunal found that Conrad Joseph Lawrence Goodger, along with his companies Rent Ezi Limited and Nice View Limited, operated eight boarding houses, four of them unlawfully, and must pay exemplary damages for the following breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (the Act):

• $53,600 for breaches of building, health, and safety requirements under section 66I of the Act.
• $15,250 for unlawful tenancy agreement clauses under section 137.
• $12,200 for failing to include mandatory information in tenancy agreements under section 13A.

The Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team (TCIT) in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) investigated Mr Goodger’s properties on three occasions, following complaints from tenants and a fire at one of his addresses.

Queenstown small room constructed with dividing walls at a Goodger property - image Tenancy Tribunal.

Following a series of site visits, TCIT established that all the properties were overcrowded and operating as boarding houses, with many tenants unsure of the number of occupants and their names. Several of the rooms were notably cramped. One tenant described their space as having a sloped ceiling that made it hard to stand upright, while another was sharing a single room with four others.

Despite ongoing efforts to engage with Mr Goodger, including site visits, interviews and ultimately a formal warning, continued non-compliance led to TCIT filing proceedings with the Tenancy Tribunal in 2024.

The Tribunal found that tenants were housed in partitioned rooms, garages, caravans, and even a bus, often without proper fire safety, ventilation, or sanitation. Numerous tenancy agreements were missing required information, and some included unlawful clauses that undermined tenants’ rights.

Despite Mr Goodger claiming TCIT’s investigations were a “fishing expedition” and targeted towards him to put him out of business, the adjudicator, K Lash, found there was “no evidence that TCIT were targeting Mr Goodger and trying to identify an issue upon which they could prosecute.”

A window gap and black mould at a Goodger property - image Tenancy Tribunal.

TCIT National Manager Brett Wilson says the team have a duty to ensure that landlords are complying with the Residential Tenancies Act. 

“We always work with landlords where we can, but we will not hesitate to take action to ensure that tenants are living in warm, dry and safe properties, and that includes lodging a Tenancy Tribunal application where landlords are reluctant to engage and fail to comply,” Brett Wilson said.

“Boarding house compliance is a priority for TCIT and the team has ongoing proactive monitoring and reactive work to address issues with rental properties, including boarding houses.  TCIT also works closely with local councils and other regulators in areas where non-compliance with the Act may be occurring.”

The adjudicator said Mr Goodger also downplayed his actions with respect to tenancy agreements.

Tenants were found to be living in basic caravans during winter - image Tenancy Tribunal.

“His defence that the issues are minor because he has never had any real tenant complaint is unsustainable. Lack of complaint does not mitigate a breach of the Act.”

Brett Wilson agreed, saying landlords are responsible for treating their tenants fairly and should be proactively managing their properties to ensure that tenancy agreements meet the required standards, and maintenance issues are dealt with promptly. 

"A landlord runs a business and is expected to do so lawfully, whether tenants are complaining or not,” Brett Wilson said.

Mr Goodger, Rent Ezi Limited and Nice View Limited have also been issued with a restraining order by the Tenancy Tribunal prohibiting further breaches of these obligations for a period of three years.