Green MP Marama Davidson says a warrant of fitness on rental housing could cut hospital admissions for winter illnesses by up to 20 percent.
Ms Davidson says whether it's the private sector, social housing providers of Housing New Zealand, it's clear New Zealand's housing stock is not up to scratch.
Cold, damp and draughty whare have a major impact on the number of people, especially children and the elderly, who succumb to respiratory and other illnesses every winter.
She's visited homes in south Auckland where families have been pleading with Housing New Zealand to move them into a healthier property because the children are constantly in hospital because of illness, meaning time off work for the parents.
"Your children being constantly sick, it's not just an isolated thing, it impacts on your whole life, having to take your children to hospital, it impacts long term, so we need to get a proper warrant of fitness in place that will adequately protect families," Ms Davidson says.
