25 February 2014
For Immediate Release
Jennian Homes challenges the Government to make all New Zealand Homes Safe
New Zealand’s most awarded home builder Jennian Homes challenges the Government to reduce the number of serious home
related injuries by extending the Governments proposed rental home warrant-of-fitness system to cover all homes in New
Zealand.
Last week, a trial of 500 state houses was undertaken where a 49 point checklist needs to be passed to grant the home a
warrant-of-fitness for three years. If the Government deems the trial a success, the WOF system would encompass the
Government’s entire state housing stock.
While Jennian Homes Director Richard Carver sees this as a step in the right direction, he wants to see a WOF system
implemented where all existing homes are brought up to the existing Building Code before they can be sold or rented-out
by landlords. Many of the older, existing houses would fail to meet the today’s Building Code. “Every car has to have a
valid WOF before it goes on the road so why are existing houses not brought up to current code before they’re sold or
rented?” asks Mr Carver.
The ACC website states that more people are injured and sadly killed at home than anywhere else in New Zealand. This
makes an urgent change to the approach by the Government a major priority. Figures obtained by ACC state that in 2013,
there were over 830,000 claims lodged for injuries incurred at home, sadly, 310 of these related to a fatality. This is
greater than the road toll, “so why does the Government not appear to care?” asks Mr Carver.
The Government has been very proactive in reducing the road toll to its lowest number since 1950. Mr Carver says it is
now time to focus on reducing the number of deaths in all New Zealand homes through the expansion of the WOF system to
cover all existing houses.
“Health and Safety is paramount. Consider that as a country we have an excessively high rate of asthma sufferers and
then look at our existing housing stock with poor insulation, glazing and ventilation. It’s ludicrous that we can live
in these houses or they can ownership in a state that is detrimental to our health. Where is the logic in this?”
“Houses are built to last 50 plus years, yet with aging stocks; some are still standing at over a century. Would we want
to see 100 year old cars, on original specifications remaining on our roads? Why are these homes allowed to deteriorate
and continue to have an adverse effect on the health and safety and the lives of our loved ones? The Government must act
now to rectify this.”
“New houses are built to the current Building Code and exacting standards ensuring that they are safer and healthier
than many of the existing New Zealand housing stock. Surely all homes both existing and new should be held to the same
standards?”
Estimates show that the existing national housing stock requires around $9billion spent urgently on serious deferred
maintenance items, let alone preventative maintenance. If the Government continues to allow homeowners to defer this
maintenance, the flow on effect will be significantly higher downstream for all costs, not only in dollars for future
homeowners, but in the lives of our loved ones.
80,158 New Zealand homes were sold during 2013. If implemented; the WOF system proposed by Jennian Homes would ensure
that all houses are brought up to the current Building Code before the transaction is allowed to be completed. This will
result in a net gain over time for all New Zealand Homes. These homes will then be safer and healthier to live in and
this will also save lives of the ones we love.
“Yes, most existing home owners will resist this WOF change, and politically it will not be popular but what price do we
collectively put on the life of the ones we love” asked Mr Carver.
*ENDS*