November 09, 2022
Slight improvement for renters
The Human Rights Commission says it’s seeing an improvement in security of tenure.
Its housing inquiry has found the proportion of people living in their home for less than a year decreased from 24.2 percent in 2006 to 19.8 percent in 2018.
Chief commissioner Paul Hunt says the Government’s amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act in 2020 are likely to have improved tenure security, but the data hasn’t caught up with that yet.
He says security of tenure means people and families can choose when and if they want to move rather than be forced to move.
People who are unable to access secure housing may end up homeless, which is particularly concerning given the institutional racism Māori and Pacific renters have experienced.
Aotearoa New Zealand historically has a poor record on tenure security, with few regulations protecting tenants and few opportunities for long-term tenancies.
The Commission is asking the public to share their experiences of renting to inform its housing inquiry on its recently launched website housing.hrc.co.nz.