Tenants claim landlords lagging on healthy home moves

Wednesday, 11 July 2018

Tenant advocates say renters living in poor quality houses are not using the Tenancy Tribunal because they're afraid of landlords kicking them out. (Video first published in July 2018)

Landlords and tenants cannot agree on whether changes are being made to rental properties to bring them up to standard ahead of the introduction of new rules.

HRV has conducted its latest State of the Home survey, in association with AUT professor of sociology Charles Crothers.

It found that almost 60 per cent of tenants said their landlords were yet to make any changes for the Healthy Homes Guarantee Act, which comes into force in July next year.

It requires minimum standards for heating, insulation, and ventilation in rental homes to ensure properties are warm and dry.

* If property managers can't fix mouldy homes, are they just ripping off renters?**

Just one in 10 landlords had installed new heating, and tenants said fewer still had talked to them about making their home drier and warmer.

But the response was different when landlords were asked the same questions, with 16 per cent saying they had done or were planning to install new heating and 17 per cent said they had consulted tenants about the new regulations.

New rules will mean more cost for landlords.

Crothers said many landlords were under-prepared for the new law, and while a third planned to put in new insulation, the need to make changes was not a priority for well over a third of landlords, who said they planned to do nothing.

'Insulation is great, but the new laws are far wider reaching with requirement for ventilation and heating options. It will mean extra costs for landlords; however, on the flipside, these improvements, and making a home warm and dry, will be good for the condition of the house in the long term.

'It has to be seen as an investment in their tenants' well-being and into the longevity of their property,' he said.

Overall, 63 per cent of New Zealanders said they wanted a warmer and drier home. Among renters, that number was 75 per cent. Only 57 per cent of homeowners felt the same way.

Crothers said renters were significantly more likely to suffer from condensation, cold, mould and dampness than homeowners.

'Rental accommodation is damper, colder, more mouldy, and difficult to heat. A quarter of rentals suffer from mould and dampness compared to 16 per cent for homeowners.

Overall, 63 per cent of New Zealanders said they wanted a warmer and drier home. Among renters, that number was 75 per cent.

'However, condensation is a real problem with 44 per cent of renters' homes, compared to just 20 per cent of homeowners having dripping windows most days during winter.'

Two-thirds of renters said they were likely to keep warm by wrapping themselves in a blanket. Only 43 per cent of homeowners said they would do the same.

'It continues to be tough out there for those who are renting, and it's not at all surprising many of these people are worried about making ends meet in the future, given the continuing rise of property prices and household expenses in general,' Crothers said.