Hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders live in cold, damp homes that are expensive to heat, a new survey has revealed.
It shows that more than 40 per cent of Kiwi households (about 795,000) are worried their homes are too damp, almost one in 10 are concerned about significant mould, while 20 per cent of these (180,000 households) say mould, dampness and condensation worsens the breathing of those living in the house.
The Aotearoa Housing Survey - commissioned by AMI Insurance and community housing provider Habitat for Humanity New Zealand - further found that in winter people in 16 per cent of households go to bed earlier than normal to stay warm.
"These are grim statistics," says Alan Thorp, Group Chief Executive Officer for Habitat for Humanity New Zealand. "While the majority of New Zealand homes are habitable and decent, there are several hundred thousand Kiwi families experiencing less than optimum living conditions.
"In severe cases these can lead to a range of ongoing poor health issues such as asthma and rheumatic fever which may require hospitalisation - and with the cost-of-living and inflation rising, there is potential for things to get even worse."
AMI and Habitat are partnering with a goal to help 75,000 New Zealanders living in housing need over the next three years.
The survey was commissioned to help better understand the scale of the challenges Kiwis face in keeping their homes warm, dry and secure. It was conducted in March 2022 by Camorra Research and surveyed 3039 households throughout the country.
Other key results revealed that 60 per cent of renters are likely to be concerned their home is too cold compared to 40 per cent of those who own their home, a third (about 635,000 households) say their winter power bill is excessive, 37 per cent use as little heating as possible and eight per cent (145,000 households) all stay in one room and only heat that room when it gets very cold in winter.
Although most homes have some insulation, less than half (43 per cent) have both underfloor and ceiling insulation.
One in three households need basic repairs done inside the home, 38 per cent outside the house while 680,000 households (about a third) do not have locks on all windows.
Thorp says every year Habitat (a not-for-profit organisation) helps about 5000 families living in inadequate housing, but the research shows this number is just the tip of the iceberg.
"It is also a timely reminder that the rising cost of living is going to have a deeper impact on those households already struggling to make ends meet," he says. "Our goal is to offer practical steps Kiwis can take to protect their homes whether they own or rent them.
"Every day we partner with individuals, whānau and organisations to build, rent or repair homes. We are driven by a vision of a world where everyone deserves a decent place to live."
Alex Geale, AMI Insurance's Executive General Manager Distribution, says the survey has helped identify key areas of focus. "Given AMI sees a 60 per cent increase in home claims over winter, it's a particularly relevant time to be starting this conversation.
"Together with Habitat, we hope to help improve the living conditions for as many New Zealanders as we can."
Geale says AMI Insurance data shows the average number of claims for burnt carpet, for example, is almost four times higher in winter than summer. Fires often start when chimney flues have not been cleaned or ash catches on fire, or in some instances, through electrical fires.
One woman who was helped by Habitat is Barbara (not her real name), a single mother of four children aged between eight and 26 who live in the Auckland suburb of Manurewa.
"We have blankets on our windows to catch the condensation," she says. "Our fireplace doesn't heat all the rooms much and we don't have a heat pump and our hot water cylinder has a history of leaking."
She says the team that Habitat organised to help with her repairs was "fabulous. We had the floorboards done, the lino replaced, we have a new bathroom and they've also done roof repair work and painting.
"As a mum I was the one who had to fix things," she says. "The repairs are such a relief and have made us more relaxed at home and our lives a lot easier. I open the bathroom door and it just glows; we are prouder of our home now.
"Habitat is so beautiful. They didn't make me feel embarrassed or anything like that."
Thorp says among the tips he would give people is to have the right insulation especially as requirements vary, depending where you live in the country. "It is important to keep heat in a home as it makes rooms easier to heat and keep energy costs down.
"Ventilation is also important as it removes or stops condensation and prevents mould," he says. "There are several ways to have more effective ventilation including opening windows and doors, allowing the home to air for at least 15 minutes a day and having an extractor fan in the kitchen and bathroom."
He says it is important a house is structurally sound so it can be lived in safely. This includes being able to lock all windows and doors and to keep on top of repairs to prevent issues such as rotten floorboards becoming major problems.
For those who are renting, Thorp encourages open communication with landlords to ensure the proper insulation, ventilation and safety and security measures are being put in place.
For more information go to: www.ami.co.nz/habitat