Focus area 3: Improve the built quality of existing dwellings, particularly rental housing

​It is estimated that our current housing stock will make up half of all dwellings in Auckland in 2050.

We must ensure that the quality of existing housing is improved significantly. This is fundamental to our health and wellbeing and to our ability to reduce carbon emissions.

Housing requires ongoing maintenance, repairs and in some cases modifications. However, this can be costly and disruptive, and there are inadequate levers to enforce minimum standards.

Cold and damp housing is the most serious issue in Auckland's existing dwellings. They cost more to heat and have links to negative health outcomes. Rental housing stock is typically in poorer condition than owner-occupied houses.

The impact of cold and damp housing is greatest on those with weak or vulnerable respiratory systems, mostly children and older people. Respiratory infections are a leading cause of hospital admissions for children under two years of age.

This also applies to other forms of rental accommodation, such as boarding houses, that equally need to be healthy and warm.

Healthy homes are also more energy efficient. Retro-fitting existing homes to ensure greater energy efficiency will help reduce our carbon emissions.

Read more about healthy homes.

How this can be done

Auckland's rental households are a priority.

Improvements in the rental housing stock can be made by:

• introducing compulsory 'warrants of fitness' for all rental properties and using levers to enforce minimum standards
• addressing the inability or unwillingness of some owners to attend to repairs, maintenance and needed upgrades
• addressing the powerlessness of tenants to require owners to undertake ongoing maintenance.

Related information

• Homelessness in Auckland
• Healthy homes
• Household crowding
• The housing continuum
• Mixed tenure housing
• Renting in Auckland.