The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team (TCIT) has found significant non-compliance with the Healthy Homes Standards during inspections of a selection of Auckland residential boarding houses in April.

TCIT visited 15 properties in South and Central Auckland during a three-day operation to check for compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (the Act), alongside Auckland Council and Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

Brett Wilson, National Manager TCIT said monitoring the compliance of boarding houses is an ongoing focus area for TCIT.

“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,” Brett Wilson said.

“These properties will require moderate to extensive repairs to bring them up to the required standard. One landlord also disputed that their property was subject to the Residential Tenancies Act and requested TCIT officers leave the premises.”  

“Boarding house tenants are typically among the most vulnerable and often lack knowledge of their rights under the Residential Tenancies Act,” Brett Wilson said.

Auckland Council Compliance Manager, Adrian Wilson, said they share TCIT’s 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.”

Brett Wilson said TCIT appreciated the support of Auckland Council and Fire and Emergency New Zealand for this operation and noted the majority of 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. This includes attending to maintenance and repairs in a timely manner.

“Boarding houses have been required to meet the Healthy Homes Standards since 2021 and these 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,” Brett Wilson said .

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. 

Back to News