Rental housing availability could drop next winter as insulation deadline looms, expert says

September 5, 2018

Nelson Lebo says some landlords will prefer to tear down their properties rather than adhere to new healthy home standards.

The Government released a set of proposed minimum standards for landlords yesterday designed to make rental housing more comfortable for New Zealanders.

But it's the looming deadline for a 2016 regulation put in place by the previous Government that could see a reduction in rental housing next winter, predicts Palmerston North City Council's eco-design advisor.

Landlords have until 1 July to comply with the insulation standards at their rental properties.

"We're going to see a drop in available rental housing - my prediction - around June/July next year because some landlords would rather just tear the place down than spend just a couple of grand on insulation," Nelson Lebo told TVNZ1's Breakfast today, describing such decisions as a disappointment "given...people are desperate for a roof over their head".

But Mr Lebo also lauded the regulation, as well as the proposed minimum standards announced yesterday by Housing Minister Phil Twyford. The discussion document is intended to fill in the details of legislation passed last year that guaranteed healthy homes for renters without defining what that involved.

The "healthy home" standards would set minimum requirements for heating, insulation, ventilation, draught stopping and moisture and drainage. The Government will seek feedback on the proposal, from both renters and landlords, over the next seven weeks, Mr Twyford said.

Phil Twyford says the Government is committed to improving the lives of renters in New Zealand.

"It's progress on what we've seen previous," Lebo said today. "We've got the insulation mostly sorted around the country, although some landlords haven't taken up that yet. And we've talked about heating in the past, now we've talked about moisture. So it's all advancing - slowly, but it's good to see progress."

Addressing moisture is one of the most critical aspects to a healthy home, he said.

"Damp air is so much worse for people's lungs than dry air, and we see people getting sick, missing school, huge costs to the medical system," Mr Lebo said. "So when I do consultation, and I've been in hundreds of rental houses, I always say sort the moisture first and then talk about the warmth."

Labour will have a second crack at introducing a bill for tougher standards around home insulation and heating in rentals.

When asked how long it will be till every house in New Zealand is warm, dry and safe to live in, Mr Lebo responded only that he has plenty of job security.

"It's a slow process, but it's better to do it thoroughly than to put some Band-Aids on it and say, 'Job done'," he said. "Let's take our time, let's do it once, let's do it right and do it really thoughtfully as well."

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