The results of a trial that could lead to the introduction of mandatory warrants of fitness for rental housing will be revealed in about six weeks.
Tauranga has joined the country's four main centres in the pilot project to improve rental housing standards in New Zealand by submitting rentals to warrants of fitness checks.
Tauranga City Council's contribution to the 125-house trial will consist of 15 privately-owned rentals and 10 council-owned rentals including pensioner village flats.
The council's community development committee was updated on progress with the WOF programme which the Government has signalled it wants to develop for use on its 69,000 Housing New Zealand properties, with a potential roll-out to other areas.
Council's sustainability adviser Michelle Elborn said afterwards that a consensus had not been reached by the partners to the study about whether housing WOFs would be voluntary or mandatory. The check list included mould, curtains, insulation, smoke alarms, adequate lighting at entrances to properties, and window-stays.
