2011 Christchurch earthquake triggers #LandlordLegend winner

A Christchurch landlord has been recognised as New Zealand’s #LandlordLegend for his good deeds in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake.

Daniel Peate-Garratt was nominated by former tenant Jenn ‘Amazing’ Halliday in a Facebook competition run by tenancy.co.nz.

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The 6.3 earthquake devastated the city, killing 185 people, and created an accommodation shortage in Christchurch.

Peate-Garratt rented out his eight-bedroom house at Rossmore Terrace in Cashmere to a group of tenants and ever since it has become a place of refuge for many young Cantabrians.

“There just wasn’t that many good rental places in the (Christchurch) city at all,” Halliday explains.

“People were struggling, and people were putting up prices because there weren’t many places and Daniel was so wonderful it when we first moved in and I wanted to bring in all these people.”

Jenn says dozens young people have lived or stayed at the rental property, that is affectionately known as “Rossmore Refuge Centre” over the five-year period since the earthquake, and that Peate-Garratt has only been too happy to accommodate.

“There has literally been hundreds of people who have been helped and supported by that house. There has been really sad people, people down on their luck who have been supported and loved in that house, Halliday said.

“Once I found him cleaning the gutters out in the rain at 7am! Just generally a humble, caring, hardworking, amazing, crazy generous man. 5 years going and the house is still helping people and he’s still being a legend.”

Peate-Garratt went beyond the call of duty as a landlord and was honoured to receive the award.

“All credit to Jenn. We’re really pleased that we have been able to know her through (renting the house) too and all the people who have come through. It’s been a privilege,” Peate-Garratt said.

The winning post in tenany.co.nz’s #LandlordLegend competition received 46 likes and 32 comments.

They received a $500 food and champagne hamper for their efforts.