Filipino News 166

BUHAY
NZ
02 ISSUE 166 7th HERO AWARDS | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | MOB: 027 495 8477
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Advice for renters about
requirements for warm,
healthy homes
As winter sets in, and
leaks and mould appear in
homes around the country,
the Citizens Advice Bureau
wants renters to be aware of
what can legally expect from
their landlord.
Even though it's landlords
who hold the power, especially
in the current rental
market, tenants are being
forced to chase them up for
fixes, says acting CE
Andrew Hubbard.
“Tenants are being relied
on to know that there's a
problem, know that the landlord,
try and remedy it with
the landlord and take them
to the tenancy tribunal,” he
tells Kathryn Ryan.
Tenants with houses that
are substandard tend to fall
into two groups, Hubbard
says - those who have no
idea what they can expect
from their landlord and
those who know their rights
but struggle to have them
honoured.
Either way, it shouldn't be
up to the tenant to take
action in these cases.
“If you're struggling to
make ends meet, the hassle,
concerns about the implications
(of requesting fixes)
for your relationship with
your landlord… all of those
things are incentives not to
take action.”
The impact of poor housing
on health and wellbeing
is now well known, Hubbard
says, and New Zealand landlords
have had plenty of
time to familiarise themselves
with the Healthy
Home standards introduced
in July 2019.
It makes no sense that in
the case of tenancies that
began before 1 July 2021,
landlords can legally ignore
these standards for another
two years, Hubbard says.
“If you're in a pre-existing
tenancy from before that,
your landlord doesn't need to
comply until [1 July] 2024,
which is a crazy amount of
implantation time.”
So what are landlords
legally required to provide?
1. An efficient source of
heating in the main living
area
2. Adequate floor and ceiling
insulation
3. Adequate ventilation in
every habitable room and
extractor fans in kitchens
and bathrooms
4. Adequate drainage
facilities and protection
against moisture
5. Adequate protection
against draughts
If you're in a rental property
that needs work, start by
trying to have a constructive
conversation with your landlord
to the effect of ‘Hey
look, we're worried about ..
what can you do about it?’,
Hubbard suggests.
If you're more comfortable
talking in person, follow up
the conversation with an
email so you have a record.
If nothing happens, you
can then look at issuing a
Notice to Remedy, which
gives the landlord 14 days to
act.
For help communicating
with landlords, issuing formal
notices and, if necessary,
taking them to the
Tenancy Tribunal, Hubbard
suggests contacting your
local Citizens Advice
Bureau, community law centre
or tenant's organisation.
These organisations,
although understaffed and
underfunded, can also help
to outline your rights as a
renter and the landlord's
obligations, he says.
The Citizens Advice
Bureau also recommends
checking with Work and
Income on whether you're
eligible for any financial
support with your heating
bills.
- Reproduced with special
permission from RNZ
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