Safe, warm, dry and affordable housing is a fundamental human right.
Housing has a major impact on our mental, physical, spiritual and social well-being.
The People’s Review of Renting 2017 states that:
Living in poor conditions – cold, damp, often unsafe and unfit houses – seriously affects other areas of renters’ lives.
Rental housing in New Zealand is typically of poorer quality than owner-occupied housing and older people are more vulnerable to poor quality housing.
Age Concern New Zealand (ACNZ) commends recent government initiatives to improve the situation for renters. Enabling healthy homes standards to be set for rental properties, implementing a ban on letting fees and the implementation of the winter fuel subsidy for those on National Superannuation are positive moves.
These initiatives all provide important support for older people. Nonetheless, New Zealand research and statistics, along with feedback from our local Age Concerns, suggest that many older New Zealanders are experiencing significant housing issues that impact on their health, functional ability, and capacity to participate and contribute in society.