One of the Spa Lodge kitchens. Photo: Supplied via LDR
Maggots on the floor. Human excrement on bathroom walls and floors. Rodents so common one resident gave them names. These are among new descriptions of living conditions at Rotorua's Spa Lodge revealed in documents obtained by Local Democracy Reporting, as a former resident speaks out. The lodge owner says she took good care of "the majority": "You can't please everyone". Laura Smith reports.
Photos of maggots on the carpeted floor of Rotorua's Spa Lodge kicked off a series of events that led to the former backpackers being shut down, new documents reveal.
The photos were part of a health complaint from the mother of a lodge resident sent to Rotorua Lakes Council on 6 November.
"Nothing has been done about anything … I've seen young [babies] running around mum's with p-pipes and beer bong," the complaint stated.
By the end of the month, the lodge's 20 residents had been evacuated after it was issued back-to-back dangerous building notices - the first for dead-bolting residents in at night, and the second following a fire left burning for hours.
The complaint was in a cache of documents and emails relating to Spa Lodge obtained by Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) from the council under official information laws.
Approached for comment in response to claims in this story, Lodge owner Emilyn Dubouzet defended the good care she provided to "the majority". She said she knew her own actions and did not need to "prove or disprove anything".
Rats, mould, poo and $600 rent
Mould and deteriorating cabinetry found under a rubbish bin lid in Spa Lodge Photo: Supplied via LDR
Notes from a council inspection of the 28-unit lodge after the mother's "standard health complaint" said the visit "revealed more than expected".
The notes included 131 pictures.
Among inspectors' concerns were mould in rooms, missing and boarded-up windows, rotting floors and "bad odours" coming from wet carpets, marijuana and cigarette smoke, food left out and full rubbish bags.
A resident told them he paid $600 a week to rent a room for his family, while two other residents said they each paid $430 a week for their "small rooms". One said they only had $70 left over after paying rent.
A woman told an inspector "rodents" came into her room so often she named them.
The notes recorded that, throughout the inspection, a lodge staff member "constantly" tried to justify problems by blaming tenants.
Similar uncleanliness was noted, however, in rooms inspectors were told had been cleaned.
Other council documents included reports of human excrement on toilet floors and walls, the lodge's two kitchens being too dirty to use and regular rat sightings.
Multiple agencies visited Spa Lodge following a complaint of maggots on the floor. Photo: Supplied via LDR
Ex-resident recounts experiences
Billy Newson told LDR he lived at the lodge for about a year, leaving about midway through in 2023.
In his opinion, the operation was: "All about money, money."
Newson said he was charged $350 rent for a room so small that if he lay down he could touch one wall with his feet and the other with his head.
In his view: "They are not designed for long-term."
Of the door being deadlocked at night - described in a Fire and Emergency NZ assessment as an "unacceptable practice" - Newson said: "That whole part of the building's stuck, no exit."
He said he did not understand why the deadbolts were installed but speculated it was to stop people coming in and staying for free.
Newson described the behaviour of some lodge residents as "unstable" and "volatile", and said he worried for the children.
One of the bedrooms in Spa Lodge in November. Photo: Supplied via LDR
He claimed when he tried raising issues such as broken elements in the kitchen and general hygiene with owner Dubouzet, it seemed to him that she "didn't want to deal with it".
"It was disgusting. I thought we had cleaners."
He said he would go to the toilet, close the door, and there would be faeces on the back of it.
"It had been there for I don't know how long."
In his view, "She doesn't care about people at all".
Lodge owner: 'You can't please everyone'
Rotorua Spa Lodge owner Emilyn Dubouzet in 2018. Photo: Ben Fraser
Responding to requests for comment for this story, Dubouzet said in text messages on Friday:
"To have balanced reporting one source doesn't represent the true value of the majority who I took good care of.
"I don't need to prove or disprove anything for I know what I did what I have done n have been doing as well.
"If who ever wants to crucify me so be it for I know the truth n others as well who know what I have one for them in the end n still doing.
"At the end of the day you can't please everyone, that's the reality of life."
She declined to comment further.
In a 2019 interview with the Rotorua Daily Post, Dubouzet said homelessness could affect anyone.
At the time, Spa Lodge only accommodated Ministry of Social Development (MSD) clients.
Dubouzet had said she tried to give out positive energy and provide guests with mental and emotional support.
"We care about them and are here to give them stronger wings," she said at the time.
In her view, some accommodation providers were "just in it for the money", but Dubouzet said it was her passion.
Who lived at the lodge?
A lodge staff member told a council report writer in November all 20 residents were MSD clients "to provide emergency housing".
MSD, however, said the last time the lodge was used for emergency housing was in October 2022.
MSD ministerial and executive service general manager Magnus O'Neill said it had nine clients, aged 19 to 50, at the lodge when the second building notice was issued.
The median stay was 167 days - about five months.
LDR has sought clarification on whether families were counted as one client or by individual members.
O'Neill said the evacuated clients moved to a mix of hostel-type accommodation, emergency housing, and private accommodation.
The caption for this picture noted Room 15's "severely rotten, damp and mouldy" doorway. Photo: Supplied via LDR
On support, he said each client was different but the accommodation supplement was the main kind of help.
It could contribute to rent or bond and be directly paid to the landlord.
O'Neill said he could not say explicitly how much the lodge was paid as three other addresses used the same supplier number.
As at 17 November, the ministry had redirected $20,570 from benefit payments to the Spa Lodge supplier.
O'Neill said there was less demand for emergency housing since the pandemic and the Rotorua Housing Accord was signed in December 2022.
MSD had dropped 28 of its 35 Rotorua emergency housing suppliers, including the lodge.
MSD could not tell clients where to live or inspect their living arrangements, rather it provided advice about their options and financial assistance eligibility, O'Neill said.
A hole in the wall between rooms showing no insulation. Photo: Supplied via LDR
What's next for Spa Lodge?
Emails between council staff and a Spa Lodge representative included discussions about reopening the lodge.
The council confirmed a resource consent would be needed to re-open as non-tourism accommodation, as the lodge had only been lawfully established as tourism accommodation.
Whether reopening for tourists or tenants, the building would first need work to meet requirements.
These included rectifying issues raised in the dangerous building notices; addressing damp and uncleanliness; removing cooking appliances from bedrooms and appointing an on-site manager.
The business was given two months, until 7 February to do the work, and failure could result in a "cleansing order" being served.
Asked if the works had been done, council community and district development group manager Jean-Paul Gaston said it continued compliance involvement with the owner and the lodge remained closed for business.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
