Source: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation
As winter grips the country, many Kiwis will go to sleep tonight in rental homes that may still be putting their health at risk.
From midnight tonight, all private residential landlords must ensure their properties fully comply with the Healthy Homes Standards – a legal requirement introduced in 2019 to make rental homes warmer, drier, and healthier. These standards introduced minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping in rental properties.
Yet despite having six years to prepare, questions remain about how many rental homes will truly be compliant come July 1.
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ warns that without effective enforcement, these standards risk leaving tenants, especially those with respiratory conditions, exposed to cold, damp homes that threaten their health.
Foundation Medical Director Professor Bob Hancox says one thing we have learnt from research into housing and health in New Zealand is that many homes are too cold and too damp.
“Having a warm and dry house is very important for respiratory health, particularly for people with respiratory diseases such as asthma or COPD.
“Improving the quality of housing is one of the best ways to help people stay well through the winter.”
Currently, landlords can self-certify that their property meets the Healthy Homes Standards, and there is no requirement for an independent, physical inspection of the property.
“Implementing the healthy homes standard would go a long way to keep people out of hospital and GP clinics, but at the moment, we don’t know how well the standards are being applied,” Professor Hancox says.
The Foundation is renewing its call to the Government to require independent, accredited assessments of all rental homes to ensure that the Healthy Homes Standards are actually being met.
New Zealand Institute of Building Inspectors Chief Executive Neville Scott says the fact that landlords can self-certify is a loophole that undermines the intent of the law.
“We fully support the Foundation in their call to Government, as we see – all too often – cases where properties are signed off by landlords but clearly fall short of the standards.
“Without qualified, independent inspections, there's no way to guarantee consistency or integrity in the process,” he says.
“It's like letting drivers issue their own warrants of fitness.”
According to Tenancy Services NZ, more than 600,000 households rent in New Zealand, and research shows that rental stock is of poorer quality than owner-occupied homes.
A recent report by Stats NZ on housing in New Zealand revealed that almost 30 per cent of households that did not own their home experienced dampness at least some of the time. Those same households were more likely to experience visible mould over A4 size at least some of the time (22.9 per cent).
Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard, public health researcher and member of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board, says the current state of many rental properties is both unacceptable and avoidable.
“We’re still seeing families living in mouldy, poorly ventilated homes that actively worsen chronic conditions like asthma.
“Effective enforcement of the healthy homes standards is essential for protecting our most vulnerable populations and reducing health inequities.”
The Foundation's call is part of its ongoing commitment to improve the health outcomes of those living with respiratory conditions in NZ.
