Hundreds of houses made more comfy

Housing New Zealand has upgraded many houses with insulation after a coroner found damp housing contributed to the death of a young girl.

Three hundred Housing New Zealand properties in the Bay have had work carried out to improve their warmth and dryness this winter.

The 303 homes upgraded in the Bay of Plenty were among the more than 3000 homes upgraded nationally this winter.

The upgrades came following Coroner Brandt Shortland's findings in June that a cold and damp Housing New Zealand home contributed to the death of South Auckland toddler Emma-Lita Bourne, 2, from bronchopneumonia.

Robert Galvin of Housing New Zealand said as well as the 303 homes in the Bay of Plenty that have had work completed, there were a further 352 properties in the region where work was currently under way.

Mr Galvin said the work could range from improving heating and insulation, installing mechanical ventilation and fitting thermal curtains right through to cleaning gutters and trimming vegetation blocking sunlight from entering the house.

"Housing New Zealand's role is to provide homes to people in need, for the duration of their need. This includes some of New Zealand's most vulnerable people.

"All our homes are insulated wherever possible and we have extensive heating, curtain and ventilation programmes in place to help our tenants keep their homes warm and dry."

Mr Galvin said Housing New Zealand invested more than $300 million annually in maintenance and repairs to its portfolio nationally.