Rents frozen: Govt to prevent landlords raising rents

A rent freeze preventing landlords from raising the rents on residential properties has just been put in place by Government.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said landlords will temporarily be unable to raise rents in a bid to provide relief to renters facing reduced working hours or job losses as a result of the coronavirus downturn.

Rents were the biggest weekly bill facing Kiwis, Robertson said.

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"We do need to make sure we are securing New Zealanders' income during this period," Robertson said in response to a question about whether a universal income for all Kiwis would be put in place.

He also said a further announcement about mortgage relief would be coming.