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Move to stack! Auckland renters 8 to a room in 'pods' worries industry - New Zealand Middle Class

333 views · Published 30 August 2017 · 8:29 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: Mike Martins · 2017 · News & Politics

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My Opinion : Worry Industry ? the middle class is moving into pods ! Before you know it people will be forced to eat fake meat and bugs ! New Zealand Needs to stop the Chinese Investing and start to worry about its Middle class! 

Article reads as :
'Sleeper pods' apparently installed in a Auckland apartment to increase the number of people able to live there are a worrying new development in the city's rental scene, an industry expert says.

Several single-bed-sized-pods were listed on Trade Me and Ray White's website for rent at $200 a week.

The listings were live on the site for a brief period of time on Tuesday before being pulled down shortly after they appeared.

The pods are similar to those available in some overseas airports for temporary sleeping while in transit.

They were listed in the heart of downtown Auckland, in the Hudson Brown Apartments in Mahuhu Crescent.

While tempting a few – the listing had been viewed more than 2000 times – news of the pods sparked outrage among the industry.

Apartment Specialists' owner and founder Andrew Murray said he had heard about the pods through the real estate grapevine about a month ago.

"We knew someone was doing something like that."

Given the average rent for a single room in the CBD was $300 per week, the pods at $200 would most likely attract students, unfazed by communal living, he said.

"Imagine how much money you could make – you'd be able to generate 800 bucks per room [per week]," he said.

"Basically they are trying it, seeing if they can make some money out of it but they didn't think of the public reaction so they have pulled it down straight away."

He was against the development and believed it would run foul of building laws.

The apartment block's managing body corporate, Boutique Body Corporate Limited, said on Wednesday permission for the unit modification was never sought.

"I can guarantee we weren't approached," managing director Craig Leishman said.

"It would surprise me if the sleeper pods, or the intensification created by the sleeper pods, were compliant with resource consent.

"The number of persons that should be residing in units was generally two per sleeping area – not as many as you can cram in."

Leishman said it would be unlikely the body corporate would ever give its blessing to the sleeping capsules as it would open the floodgate to overcrowding.

There would be a significant increase in costs as resources, such as water, waste, sewerage and lift services would come under double or treble the pressure, Leishman said.

Attempts to contact real estate agent Delanie Horrobin, who listed the pods, have been unsuccessful.

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