A note left in letterboxes in Tūākau warning residents that a person on "low income" may be moving in next door has angered those living in the area.

A note left in letterboxes warning residents that a person on "low income" may be moving in next door has angered those living in the area.

Residents of Brian Cowley Place, in the north Waikato town of Tūākau, were appalled to receive a note alerting them that Housing New Zealand had purchased a property in their street.

The note told people to "be aware" as "whoever is moving into that house will be low income earner or WINZ clients".

It went on to tell people to: "Keep close eyes on anything you see happening that seems suspicious".

The letter was signed off from a "concerned neighbor (sic)".

STUFF The note said told people to "be aware" as "whoever is moving into that house will be low income earner or WINZ clients".

Brian Cowley Place is a family friendly neighbourhood, with neatly mowed lawns and recent coats of paint covering the houses.

Neighbours know one another, often stopping to say hello and chat.

The residents believe they're a welcoming lot, saying they aren't concerned by the letter, labelling the note classist and discriminatory.

Mary Astle said she was shocked by the letter considering how accommodating the neighbourhood usually is.

"It's very discriminatory. It's out of place, most people here are very accepting, we've got all sorts of people you know," she said.

"Who the heck is doing this?"

JAMES BAKER/STUFF Neighbours in Brian Cowley Place said they are a welcoming bunch and were shocked by the note.

Across the road, neighbour Shelly Els read the note with her husband.

"We looked at it and thought 'how ridiculous'."

Another neighbour who was "disgusted and horrified" by the letter addressed the writer in a Facebook post.

"Without even knowing these people you have already made an assumption and decided to share with the rest of the neighbourhood your opinion, is this what is being ingrained in the next generation?" they wrote.

Tracey Kellett had been the property manager for the house at the centre of the note.

She could not confirm who bought the property but said many Housing New Zealand renters make excellent tenants.

"Of 200 tenants I've put in properties in the last two years, I've had problems with three and none of those three have been from housing New Zealand."

"They get families that deserve a leg up, because they can't get the property they need, they might live in less than salubrious areas, they work hard and then prove that they pay rent on time."

A search of property records for the property reveals that Housing New Zealand are the current owners of the four-bedroom property which they purchased for $750, 000.

HNZ said they also recently purchased another property in Tūākau for the same price.

A spokesperson for the Human Rights Commission said the letter qualified as discrimination.

"Some people are not aware that employment status, including being unemployed or receiving a social security benefit or ACC entitlement, are prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Human Rights Act."

"It is a sad comment on our society if people are going to judge others on the basis of their income status and/or whether they receive government income support. Communications like this are not consistent with the New Zealand tradition of welcoming new neighbours and making them feel at home."