Tenure insecurity, precarious housing and hidden homelessness among older renters in New Zealand

Abstract

Homelessness among older people is growing in western countries including New Zealand. The rise in renting among middle-aged and older people highlights tenure insecurity and the risk of homelessness for the first time in later life. We report on a dataset drawn from a larger project in which 108 tenants aged 55 and older were interviewed. Of those, nineteen had experienced homelessness (as defined by Statistics New Zealand) within the previous five years, including residing in temporary housing, temporarily sharing accommodation, living in uninhabitable dwellings, and being without shelter. We examine factors precipitating participants’ homelessness, their living environments, and pathways out of homelessness. National data on renting trends among older age groups are also presented. The paper argues that homelessness risk is central to older tenants’ experience of New Zealand’s under-regulated rental market. We conclude that within this context, tenure insecurity is generated through unaffordable rents, no-cause termination, poor dwelling condition and housing that is unsuitable for an ageing population.

Keywords:

• Older tenants;
• homelessness;
• tenure insecurity;
• housing insecurity

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the older tenants who kindly gave their time and insights, for without them this research would not have been possible. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive feedback and suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 We draw on interview data gathered as part of Life When Renting, a mixed method study exploring the implications of falling home ownership and growing dependence on the rental market for older people. (see www.goodhomes.co.nz)

2 Reform of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, which regulates all tenancies, will introduce termination grounds as well as other changes to improve security for tenants, such as a greater focus on fixed-term tenancies, extending the notice period for the landlord to terminate a tenancy and changes to setting and increasing rents. However, at the time of our research, renting remained a relatively under-regulated tenure in New Zealand.

3 In October 2019 HNZC was renamed Kāinga Ora.

4 The specific circumstances are: that the property is sold and the new owner requests vacant possession; the owner or a member of the owner’s family wants to live in the dwelling; or the property is normally used for employee accommodation.

5 New law changes require that any rent increase notice given after 12 August 2020 must comply with the new requirement to limit a rent increase to once every 12 months.

6 Data are from Statistics New Zealand 1986-2013 Censuses of Population and Dwellings, customised data for the Life When Renting research programme. The most recent census for which data are available, was conducted in 2013.

7 The fourth category of homelessness, Uninhabitable housing, is not included in Amore et al., 2020; it is expected to be the subject of a future report.

8 Statistics New Zealand customised census data 1986-2013 produced for the Life When Renting programme.

9 A small cabin in the backyard of a main dwelling, intended for sleeping only. Generally it has no bathroom, toilet, cooking facilities or drinking water supply.

10 A basic toilet unconnected to the sewerage system.

11 Changes were made to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 in August 2019 to give tenants in unlawful premises legal protection and to require the landlord to make the premises lawful through compliance with building, health and safety laws.

12 Government use of private motels for emergency accommodation is common. Despite grants being given to the homeless person for only seven days at a time, staying longer in motels is usual, because of a lack of permanent accommodation.

13 The building is likely to cause injury or death to inhabitants.

14 Extended family or family group.

15 Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the ‘Life when Renting’ research programme funded by the Ageing Well National Science Challenge.

Notes on contributors

Beverley Lorraine James

Dr. Beverley Lorraine James is Director of Public Policy & Research, specialising in community-based research and evidence-based tool development. Her research currently focuses on housing, including older people's housing options, affordable housing and not-for-profit housing providers.

Laura Bates

Laura Bates completed a MA in Geography at the University of Auckland in 2018, and is currently a doctoral student in the Human Geography Program at the University of Alberta.

Tara Michelle Coleman

Dr. Tara Michelle Coleman is a researcher in the School of Environment at the University of Auckland. Her research currently focuses on ageing in place, housing experience and the role of place in wellbeing.

Robin Kearns

Robin Kearns is Professor of Geography in the School of Environment at the University of Auckland. Over three decades, his research interests have included the experiences of groups marginalised in the New Zealand housing market.

Fiona Cram

Fiona Cram is of Māori descent (Ngāti Pāhauwera), is the mother of one son and has a PhD from the University of Otago (Social and Developmental Psychology). She has over 25 years of Kaupapa Māori (by Māori, for Māori) research and evaluation experience.