Existing housing FEATURE SECTION
Improving cold, damp rentals
Too many people live in cold damp houses, which are making them sick. Improving the quality of houses in the rental sector won’t be easy, but it needs to be a priority.
BY VICKI COWAN, KNOWLEDGE MANAGER, BEACON PATHWAY
Three-way dynamic to think about Any consideration of rental housing needs to involve the rental dynamic – the interplay between house quality, the tenant and the landlord. These are interdependent, and actions and changes in one deter- mine outcomes for the others.
Poor housing affecting wellbeing Home heating, energy costs and fuel poverty are key housing issues with health implications. Cold, damp, poor-quality housing has Housing New Zealand is the biggest social landlord, but the majority of rental housing is let by private landlords. been linked to a range of physical symptoms, diseases, injuries and high winter mortality, as well as impacting on mental health, – SNPA PHOTOGRAPH educational attainment and social status. A STRATEGY IS NEEDED to get the disparate laws and bodies The links between poor-quality housing and New Zealand’s high governing the rental housing sector in New Zealand working incidence of child poverty are well recognised. together. This is according to a recent report by Beacon Pathway. Beacon resource: Performance of rental housing compiles existing Tenants often most vulnerable knowledge about the state of rental housing in New Zealand, the The day-to-day consequences of poor housing stock affect the most laws and bodies that govern it and the potential for interventions vulnerable in our society – impoverished families, children, the for improvement. elderly and disabled. It draws on legislation, statistics on social and rental housing in Approximately half of New Zealand’s children under 5 years and New Zealand, research into housing performance, social and rental 21% of adults over 65 live in rented houses. Both groups are more housing, the health impacts of housing and reports from government vulnerable due to their susceptibility to illness and health issues agencies. caused by environmental factors. In addition, 50% of
Build 147 — April/May 2015 — 55 FEATURE Existing housing SECTION
households in the private rental sector are financially stressed, Time for a strategy and new approaches spending more than 30% of their household income on housing. Rental housing exists in a complex legislative and institutional environment: Rental contracts discourage improvement ●● There is no single central government agency responsible for At the same time, rental conditions in New Zealand are restrictive housing quality. compared with international norms. Here: ●● Multiple government ministers have a role in rental housing. ●● there are shorter lease terms ●● Formal rules governing rental housing are spread across different ●● tenants can be given 30 days notice on almost any condition pieces of legislation. ●● tenants have little opportunity to make minor alterations to the ●● Roles are played by several agencies within central and local home. government. Consequently, tenants have little incentive or ability to improve A New Zealand rental housing strategy for social housing would the condition of their rental home. Housing insecurity undermines improve planning and management of this critical national asset. opportunities for renters to ask landlords for repairs and mainte- Beacon recommends proactive trials to find new ways to improve nance, let alone performance upgrades. rental outcomes. The council trial of a WoF is a recent example of Private landlords own 85% of rental housing. Research to date active learning and sharing of lessons. Social housing offers a good characterises these landlords as ‘mum and dad’ investors who don’t trial space for pilots and demonstrations since government is involved see themselves as running a rental business in a service industry. in all parts of the rental dynamic. Few private landlords invest in regular maintenance or undertake New business models are also needed. It should be easier for whole-of-house upgrading. landlords, tenants and other stakeholders to get independent advice and act on it to improve rental outcomes. Some steps already taken There have been several interventions in recent years: True costs would highlight need to improve ●● In 2014, Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and There is a lack of robust data about the rental housing sector, and Dunedin trialled the warrant of fitness (WoF) developed by the existing information is scattered: University of Otago, Wellington, and New Zealand Green Building ●● BRANZ and Statistics NZ hold some rental house condition survey Council. Of the 144 houses assessed, only 6% passed. data. ●● A WoF scheme designed to ensure all houses meet a minimum ●● The Ministry of Social Development holds information on tenants health and safety standard was trialled by Housing New Zealand receiving the accommodation supplement. in 2014. ●● The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment holds bond ●● A new programme was launched that certifies home performance information. advisors to provide a full assessment, diagnosis and recommenda- We lack a comprehensive analysis of the true costs of New Zealand’s tion to homeowners, landlords and tenants suffering from cold, poor housing on taxpayer funds, particularly on health, wellbeing, damp or resource-hungry homes. productivity, water and energy resource efficiency and affordability. ●● University of Otago graduates started the Rate My Flat enterprise This would provide solid evidence of the value of upgrading the to support the upgrade of Dunedin student rental accommodation. performance of our rental housing stock. ●● Launched in 2010, Homestar, New Zealand’s only residential For more To read the report, visit www.beaconpathway.co.nz/existing- rating tool, helps landlords and tenants share information about homes, then Rental housing. housing quality.
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