Power to the People: Grandmother says house so cold and damp mokopuna’s teeth are chattering

It has been months since Karina Tipene and her family have watched television in the lounge.

With temperatures plummeting and the power bill already too high, the Auckland grandmother and her two mokopuna (grandchildren) head straight to bed after dinner.

“It’s just too cold in the lounge and I can’t afford the heat pump so the only way to keep warm is to layer up and hop into bed,” Tipene told the Herald.

Karina Tipene has often had to chose between heating her cold home in Pakuranga, Auckland or cooking a warm meal for her and her two mokopuna. Photo / Alex Burton

“My grandson comes out [of his room] sometimes and his teeth are chattering because he’s freezing.”

Tipene is just one of hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders living in energy hardship.

That’s defined by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment as any situation when people “are unable to obtain and afford adequate energy services” to support their wellbeing in their home.

If someone is paying their power bill but going without other essentials such as food to do it, they are also living in energy hardship.

The only reason Tipene’s power is always paid is because it’s automatically deducted from her sickness benefit.

She said it’s the only way to avoid getting into arrears and avoiding disconnection.

“It’s $65 a week that I don’t see and it means cutting back on food or other things. I make sure my mokopuna are fed – that is the most important thing.”

Tipene has turned off the power to the heat pump in her Kāinga Ora home and on really chilly nights only heats her grandson’s room.

Karina Tipene makes the most of the morning sunshine with a warm cup of tea and her cat in her usually cold Auckland home. Photo / Alex Burton

“Sometimes at night he will put the heater on in his room to take the chill off before bed because that end of the house is cold and damp,” Tipene said.

One night a week, Tipene cooks a week’s worth of dinners to save on power and food. She looks forward to it because it has the added bonus of warming her up.

“I’m working over the stove and it’s so nice and warm but that’s just one night.”

The meals are refrigerated and then heated in the microwave to save the power used on heating the oven each night.

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The house has ceiling and floor insulation but nothing in the walls. There are also large windows and french doors, which are great for sunshine in summer but mean it is colder on winter nights.

Karina Tipene hasn't watched television in the evening for months because it is too cold and she can't afford to heat the lounge at night. Photo / Alex Burton

There are thermal curtains in her Pakuranga home but Tipene says they have mould from the damp.

“The windows are wetter inside than outside on some mornings so the curtains I have now aren’t the best.

“I feel we get dressed up warm to go out and dressed up even warmer to stay home.”

Tipene has a heart condition, asthma and lupus so she prioritises paying the phone and power bill for her medical alarm to work.

“Some days I have no choice but to stay in bed because it’s the only way I can stay warm,” she said.

“I would rather be up doing things and I really wish that at this time of my life I didn’t have to endure this.”

Kirsty Wynn is an Auckland-based journalist with more than 20 years experience in New Zealand newsrooms. She has covered everything from crime and social issues to the property market and consumer affairs.