Skip to content.
Return to Department of Building and Housing home page.
  •  

Swift telephone mediation – resolve renting problems without leaving home

January 19 2007: A new service introduced by the Department of Building and Housing in September last year is providing outstanding results for landlords and tenants.  Swift telephone mediation enables landlords and tenants to resolve simple, straightforward disputes faster. 

Through Swift, landlords and tenants can participate in mediation over the phone from their home or office.  Any agreement they make is legally binding and can be enforced through the District Court – just like agreements made at face to face mediation meeting.

One of the major benefits of the Swift service is that just as its name suggests it’s quick – with a 24 hour turnaround.

Stewart Henry of Summit Real Estate in Nelson found out how quick the service is when he made an application for rent arrears recently.  The Department received the application at 10.15 am and it was resolved through Swift by 4.30 pm the same day. 

“Speed is the main benefit of the service” Mr Henry said.  “Swift saves a lot of time.  In the past we’ve had to drive to the office, sit down for an hour and the drive back to work.  That adds up and our time is really precious.”

Stewart said the service is great for simple disputes like rent arrears. “In the past we’ve agreed with the tenant prior to mediation and all we needed to do was formalise the agreement.  Swift makes the happens faster so we can move on with the solution.”

Landlords and tenants cannot request Swift mediation.  When Tenancy Tribunal applications are received they are reviewed by staff to determine if they are appropriate for Swift.  If an application is suitable for Swift one of our Swift mediation team will make contact with you.

There are some things you can do when you’re making an application so it is sent to Swift and to help your chances of resolving the disputes successfully.

  • Tell your tenant that you’re making the application.  Talking to them makes sure they know what’s happening and will be more willing and able to participate.
  • Provide as many telephone contact details as possible for you and the other people involved in the application.

Swift is part of a package of enhancements introduced by the Department of Building and Housing last year to make it easier for landlords and tenants to access information and dispute resolution services.  Other enhancements to the way tenancy services are delivered include:

  • the ability to make a Tenancy Tribunal application online at www.dbh.govt.nz 24 hours a day and pay the application fee by credit card
  • 85 locations for mediation and advice throughout the country – including 17 brand new locations
  • extended hours for advice through 0800 TENANCY (0800 83 62 62) from 8 am to 5.30 pm weekdays
  • new, easier to use paper Tenancy Tribunal application forms – one for tenants and one for landlords.

For more information about the new services visit www.dbh.govt.nz 

Frequently asked questions

1. What sort of applications can be resolved through Swift?
Swift phone mediation will be offered to landlords and tenants who may be able to resolve their disputes within 24 hours.   An example is an application for rent arrears where both the tenant and landlord agree that the rent is behind and they require mediation to reach an agreement about how the arrears will be paid.
.
2. How can I request Swift phone mediation?
You can’t apply for Swift phone mediation.    If your application is suitable you may be offered the option of Swift.  Staff assess applications against our criteria and the information provided in the application to determine if they are suitable for Swift.

3. Are there any types of applications that wouldn’t be appropriate for Swift?
Complex disputes where there is more than one reason for the application, or where there is disagreement on the issues would not be suitable for Swift.  These types of disputes are better suited to face to face mediation meetings or may need to be referred for a Tenancy Tribunal hearing.

4. How fast is Swift?
Through Swift disputes can be resolved within 24 hours.  How fast your dispute is resolve will depend on how easily we can contact you and arrange a time to mediate over the phone.

5. If I have the tenant in my office and I’ve made an application, can we call up and have a Swift mediation?
You can’t apply for Swift phone mediation.    If your application is suitable you may be offered the option of Swift.  Staff assess applications against our criteria and the information provided in the application to determine if they are suitable for Swift.   If you application is appropriate for Swift we will contact you.

6. Is this different to phone mediation that the Department has offered in the past?
Traditional phone mediation is just like a face to face mediation but one or both people may be on the phone.  This sometimes happens when a face to face mediation has been scheduled but one person can’t make the meeting at the last minute.

7. What happens if a dispute has a Swift mediation but doesn’t get resolved?
If landlords and tenants can’t agree through Swift, their application will be scheduled for a face to face mediation or a Tenancy Tribunal hearing.

8. Are people using this new service?
Approximately 500 disputes have been resolved using Swift since the service was introduced in early September 2006.