Most Kiwis happy with their own homes - survey

Otautahi - While many Kiwis live in warm, affordable homes, many are struggling without the decent homes that allow them to lead healthier lives, a Research NZ survey has found.

New Zealand governments have signed up to a critically important human right: the right to a decent home. Research NZ decided to survey check how New Zealanders rate their current homes, owned or rented, in terms of a series of decent home factors.

For generations, governments have promised to create the conditions to enable everyone to live in a decent home, but this has not happened. Successive governments have failed New Zealanders, Research NZ managing partner Emanuel Kalafatelis says.

Research NZ decided to survey check how New Zealanders rate their current homes, owned or rented, in terms of a series of decent home factors.

The company asked two questions in order to:

• Ascertain if respondents currently owned the homes they lived in or rented them

• Discover how New Zealanders rate their homes in terms of their warmth, dampness, general repair, size, amenities, and affordability

When New Zealanders were asked to rate their homes in relation to aspects that describe a decent home, almost nine out of 10 reported their current home had enough bedrooms for everyone who lived there and good working basic amenities like ovens and fridges.

Both aspects were rated good by 87 percent of those surveyed. Around three-quarters of people rated as good their home’s general state of repair, warmth in winter and the extent to which it is free from damp and moisture. Overall, only 63 percent rated the affordability of their home as good.

Sixty-three percent said they lived in their own home, while almost thirty percent rented,10 percent lived in another arrangement, such as with parents or relatives.

The results show a stark contrast between those living in homes they own and those renting, with home-owners significantly more positive about the state of their homes than those renting.

Older New Zealanders (55 and over) were more positive than younger people (18 to 34 years) and were significantly more likely to rate their homes as good on all the aspects measured.

While many Kiwis live in warm, affordable homes, there are obviously many struggling without the decent homes that allow us to lead healthier lives. Especially concerning is that many of those in substandard homes are young people, Kalafatelis says.