Helping reduce harm from unhealthy homes
A healthy home is important for everyone’s health – especially for infants, older people and people ill or recovering at home. Evidence shows many houses have flaws that can lead to increased health risk.
Experts agree that a healthy home is:
- safe, warm and dry;
- well-ventilated;
- in good condition – not damaged or rundown;
- where there is enough space for all the residents – not overcrowded; and
- designed for the abilities of the occupants.
Community and Public Health supports and promotes healthy homes and communities by:
- Sharing advice and information with services working with Māori whānau and Pasifika aiga;
- Providing resources that encourage healthy homes;
- Giving advice on how to live so homes remain healthy;
- Providing advice to community about summer heat health;
- Assisting the health sector to consider housing as a way to reduce Ambulatory Sensitive (avoidable) Hospital (ASH) admission rates;
- Supporting the housing sector through policy submissions and strategic planning;
- Supporting community initiatives to improve neighbourhoods and housing;
- Collaborating with key agencies, networks and organisations to achieve positive changes in housing; and
- Encouraging Canterbury DHB staff to consider housing as a health influencer to assist patients to get practical support and to reduce Ambulatory Sensitive (avoidable) Hospital (ASH) admission rates.
Information sheets on some housing issues for renters and homeowners
- Housing Networks [114KB].
- Insanitary Housing, Hoarding and Environmental Neglect [114KB].
- Maintaining Your Home [65KB].
- Māori Housing [131KB].
- Pathways to Home Ownership [144KB].
- Support for Healthy Homes [117KB].
- Support for Renters [174KB].
- Sustainable, Innovative and Accessible Homes [120KB].
Government delivers new regime to protect renters and property owners
Beehive media release: 18th August 2023
The Government has delivered the next step to protect renters and property owners by introducing a regulatory regime for residential property managers.
Associate Housing Minister Barbara Edmonds says housing plays a fundamental role in improving the wellbeing of all New Zealanders.
“Today we’ve introduced a Bill that protects renters and property owners by ensuring all residential property managers are qualified and accountable.
“Nearly one in three households rent in New Zealand with the residential property management sector responsible for around half of the rental market. Many residential property managers abide by professional standards, but there’s no current legal requirement for them to do so.
“It’s clear there’s a gap in the foundations of the sector which we need to fill. Putting safeguards in place is in the best interest of everyone – regardless of whether they’re renters or property owners,” Barbara Edmonds said.
Private and public landlords such as Kāinga Ora and registered Community Housing Providers, would not come under the proposed regime. Public housing landlords will have a Code of Conduct to follow instead. This will be developed alongside the industry standards enabled by the regime.
The Residential Property Managers Bill is now awaiting its first reading and referral to Select Committee.
Documents and Links
Home heating and seasonal concerns
- Stay warm and well this winter (Community and Public Health 2019).
- Understanding the magic of curtains (Beacon Pathway, the Home Performance Advisor Training Programme and BRANZ).
- Consumer Winter Heating Guide (Consumer 2017) – mobile and tablet friendly-version also available.
- How choose a heat pump and use it wisely (GenLess).
- Waka Toa Ora Winter Warmth and Wellbeing Referrals Directory – revised July 2019.
- Unflued gas heaters (Ministry of Health).
- Home Heating (Environment Canterbury).
- Keeping your child’s bedroom warm (Ministry of Health).
- Tips to use less energy in your home (GenLess).
- Stay cool and well this summer (Community and Public Health 2019).
Dealing with mould and damp homes
- Mould Removal (Christchurch City Council).
- The effects of mould on your health (The Conversation).
Housing standards and building energy efficient homes
- Healthy Home Standards (Tenancy Services NZ).
- Build or renovate gen less style (EnergyWise).
- Healthier Homes Canterbury (Environment Canterbury).
- The Healthy Home Design Guide: A holistic guide for people and planet (Superhome Movement NZ).
Housing affordability and homelessness
- Kāinga Kore: The Stage One Report of the Housing Policy and Services Kaupapa Inquiry on Māori Homelessness – Wai 2750 (Waitangi Tribunal 2023).
- Homelessness and human rights: A review of the emergency housing system in Aotearoa New Zealand (Human Rights Commission 2022).
- 24 month progress report on the Homelessness Action Plan (Ministry of Housing and Urban Development 2022).
- Te Tapeke Fair Futures in Aotearoa: Spotlight on housing (Royal Society Te Apārangi 2021).
- Housing-related experiences of families with young children in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand (Ministry of Social Development 2021).
- Youth’19: Brief on Housing Deprivation (University of Auckland 2021).
- Where will we live in the future? Research into the Unmet Housing Needs of People with Disabilities, their Family and Whānau (Disability Connect 2021).
- Somewhere to live: Exploring solutions to the housing affordability crisis in Aotearoa New Zealand (Helen Clark Foundation 2020).
- Severe housing deprivation in Aotearoa New Zealand 2018 (He Kāinga Oranga/ Housing and Health Research Programme at University of Otago 2020).
- Aotearoa New Zealand Homeless Action Plan: Phase One 2020-2023 (Ministries of Housing and Social Development 2019).
- No fixed abode and support services: A free directory of Christchurch accommodation and service for people without a safe, secure home (Christchurch City Council 2019).
- Measuring the impact of social housing placement on wellbeing (Social Investment Agency 2019).
- Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey.
Key regional documents
- Enabling Spaces: Supporting older people who hoard in Canterbury (Canterbury DHB 2020 – 6MB).
- Our Space 2018-2048: Greater Christchurch Settlement Pattern Update 2018 -2019 (Greater Christchurch Partnership).
- Health Impact Assessment: Review of Environment Canterbury’s Air Plan (Community and Public Health).
- Canterbury DHB’s position on home heating and air quality.
Key national documents
- Healthy Homes Initiative: Three year outcomes evaluation (Te Whatu Ora 2022).
- Report on housing and retirement among Pacific Peoples in Aotearoa (Ministry for Pacific People 2022).
- Warmer Kiwis Study: Interim Report – An impact evaluation of the Warmer Kiwi Homes programme (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency 2022).
- MAIHI Ka Ora: National Māori Housing Strategy Implementation Plan (Ministry of Housing and Urban Development 2022).
- MAIHI Ka Ora: National Māori Housing Strategy (Ministry of Housing and Urban Development 2021).
- Government Policy Statement on Housing and Urban Development (Ministry of Housing and Urban Development 2021).
- Māori housing investment (Ministry of Housing and Urban Development 2021).
- Public Housing Plan 2021-2024 (Ministry of Housing and Urban Development 2021).
- Housing in Aotearoa 2020 (Stats NZ).
- A Stocktake of New Zealand’s Housing – February 2018 (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment).
- BRANZ Housing Condition Survey.
For further information, contact:
CANTERBURY
Gabrielle Baker-Clemas
Ph: +64 3 364 1777
Key housing agency contacts
Emergency Housing
Ministry of Social Development
Ph: 0800 559 009
Supporting Tenants
Tenants Protection Association
Ph: +64 3 379 2297
Tenancy Services
Ph: 0800 836 262
Insanitary Housing
Christchurch City Council
Ph: +64 3 941 8666
Energy solutions for healthy living
Community Energy Action
Ph: +64 3 374 7222 or 0800 388 588
Home Performance Assessments: Could your home be warmer, drier, healthier or cheaper to heat?
A Home Performance Assessment is a great way to check out how energy efficient your home is. A room-by-room assessment will identify where heat is being lost, sources of dampness, the status of heating and insulation, how your power bill might be reduced, and how the sun’s energy might be better used.
Environment Canterbury (ECan) recommends getting an assessment before deciding to make any changes to your home or accessing financial assistance for home heating improvements. Often a significant investment can be avoided with a few tweaks in the right place.
You will receive a list of recommendations to improve the performance of your home as part of your Assessment.
Home Performance Assessments are available for free for Christchurch City Council ratepayers or are subsided for some others living in Canterbury or South Canterbury.
Warmer Kiwi Homes Tool
Find out if you are eligible for a grant for heating or home insulation and connect with a service provider for a no-obligation quote.