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Numerous Auckland boarding houses have been found to fall short after thick black mould and structural issues that breached the Healthy Homes Standards were uncovered.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) tenancy compliance and investigations team (TCIT) recently found “significant non-compliance” with the Healthy Homes Standards.
Duringa three-day operation last month, teams, with Auckland Council and Fire and Emergency NZ, visited 15 boarding houses in south and central Auckland, checking for compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
Photos of the homes showed thick black mould on gutters and in bathrooms, as well as puddles of water on interior floors.
Images also showed ripped-up exterior walls, with some of the interior walls and insulation left exposed.
Compliance teams national manager Brett Wilson said monitoring the compliance of boarding houses was an ongoing focus area.
“Maintenance issues were identified at most of the properties visited, primarily involving structural upkeep of the property, such as doors, windows and guttering, as well as the condition of kitchens and bathroom facilities,” Wilson said.
Unhealthy conditions were spotted within numerous Auckland boarding houses. Photo / MBIE
He said the properties required moderate to extensive repairs to bring them up to standard.
“One landlord also disputed that their property was subject to the Residential Tenancies Act and requested officers leave the premises,” Wilson said.
He said boarding house tenants were typically among the most vulnerable and often lacked knowledge of their rights under the Residential Tenancies Act.
Auckland Council compliance manager Adrian Wilson said they also had concerns regarding the standard of some boarding houses and ongoing non‑compliance.
“Council compliance staff have been working alongside other agencies, including MBIE, for some time through our boarding house inspection programme to address these issues.
“This collaborative approach supports compliance across all relevant legislation and helps ensure boarding house tenants’ living conditions and rights are protected,” Wilson said.
Unhealthy conditions were spotted within numerous Auckland boarding houses. Photo / MBIE
Wilson said most landlords were very accommodating during the inspections.
“Landlords are responsible for ensuring their properties meet the Healthy Homes Standards and continue to do so over time,” he said.
Wilson said this can include attending to maintenance and repairs in a timely manner.
Boarding houses have been required to meet the Healthy Homes Standards since 2021.
Unhealthy conditions were spotted within numerous Auckland boarding houses. Photo / MBIE
Wilson said the recent “targeted visits” were an opportunity to assess compliance at a selection of properties, including some that were previously assessed as meeting the standards in 2023/24.
“TCIT will continue to work with the relevant landlords to address any issues identified during the visits and reserves the right to take further enforcement action if these issues are not addressed.”
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