Warmer, drier and safer homes for hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders is the main aim of new tenancy
Housing Minister Nick Smith has announced that new requirements for insulation, smoke alarms, better enforcement and faster resolution of abandoned tenancies will strengthen the Residential Tenancies Act.
From 1 July 2016, all landlords will be required to ensure their rental homes are fitted with ceiling and underfloor insulation. This applies to social housing from 1 July 2016, and for other rental housing, including boarding houses from 1 July 2019.
Exemptions will be made where is it physically impractical to retro fit insulation due to limited space underfloor or inaccessible raked ceilings.
Landlords will also have to state in tenancy agreements the level of ceiling, underfloor and wall insulation to help better inform tenants.
Minister Smith adds that all tenanted properties from 1 July 2016 will be required to have smoke alarms. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will have new powers to investigate and prosecute landlords for breaking the new tenancy laws.
Tenants will also be able to take their concerns to the Tenancy Tribunal without fear of being evicted for doing so.
He says, “These reforms will require 180,000 homes to be insulated and the 120,000 homes currently without smoke alarms to have them installed. The health benefits of this will be reduced hospitalisations from circulatory and respiratory illnesses, reduced pharmaceutical costs, and fewer days off work and school. The smoke alarms are expected to save three lives per year.”
The package announced today was agreed to by Cabinet on Monday and will be included in a Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill to be introduced to Parliament by October.
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