A man has denied murdering an Auckland resident found dead in the stairwell of a block of flats in Western Springs.

Gabriel Hikari Yad-Elohim, 29, entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday at the High Court at Auckland.

A tentative trial date has been set for July next year.

Michael David Mulholland, 69, was believed to have been living alone in a block of Housing New Zealand flats on Great North Road in Western Springs and was found dead on September 27.

He appeared to have suffered a "violent attack", police said at the time.

Yad-Elohim was on Wednesday remanded in custody until his next appearance in November.

His defence has requested a report be completed into whether he is fit to stand trial.