Corporation starts recovery exercise

THE National Housing Corporation (NHC) has embarked on a nationwide arrears recovery exercise to recoup millions of kina in unpaid rentals owed by its tenants.
The long overdue exercise is the first in 20 years and started last Friday in Gerehu, with more than 50 tenants served arrears notices.
The combined recovery team of more than 60 personnel comprised the management team from the National Capital District Commission office, the property management division.
Acting managing director Elizabeth Bowada said tenants in Gerehu alone owed the corporation about K3 million from the 256 properties under its portfolio.
She said the entire city had an accumulated arrears of more than K28 million from the 4,124 properties under the ownership of NHC.
Bowada literally walked the talk by leading her team to walk the streets to meet their tenants and serve the notices.
The approach was well received by the majority of the tenants when the management joined the officers in carrying out the task that had often been confronting and difficult. “NHC officers must be visible and interactive with our tenants to break down the barriers, dispel misinformation, in that way, we are opening the doors for them to come and settle their arrears,” Bowada said.