Housing NZ flawed meth policy tenants say compensation is not enough

People wrongly kicked out of their Housing New Zealand homes over a flawed meth testing policy say the Government's compensation doesn't go far enough.

Many are still out of pocket and desperately waiting for a new home.

Dianne Revill says she's been homeless two years after being caught up in the Housing New Zealand meth testing mess.

"We lost a lot more than furniture, we lost self-respect, respect from others it gave us a dirty name," she says.

Ms Revill says tests were carried out at her request as she was worried previous tenants had contaminated the house, then she and her daughter were kicked out after a positive result.

"We had a very perfect home really, we had a nice stable home and it was right down the road from her school," she says. 

Ms Revill says she was left $15,000 out of pocket and the $3000 in compensation offered by the Government is a joke.

"It's left me up sh*t creek," she says.

The testing tore her family apart, and after they lost their home her daughter is staying with a relative.

"She's just still crushed by everything, if she gets asked what she'd wish for it would just be to be back with mum," says Ms Revill.

Thousands of people were booted out of their Housing New Zealand homes, and of the 2,400 tenants evicted over meth testing just 68 have been rehoused.

Housing New Zealand says it will give priority to those who still haven't found a house but there are already almost 9000 people on the general waiting list for a state home.

Damian Poto was only 15 when his family was evicted; he was too young to be considered a tenant. 

His mum died when he was 14, and a year later he, his older sister and her children were kicked out of their state house. 

He couldn't live with his sister and became homeless.

"Sleeping on couches, mates couches, friends' couches, family couches, and then just up and leave the next morning," Mr Poto says.

He wants just one thing - not to be forgotten.

"I would love an apology, that would show me that they do think about those people."

Mr Poto now has a new home, but Ms Revill says she's been waiting two years and fears she'll be forced to live out of a suitcase for many more.

Newshub.