A slip after heavy rain in Auckland's Titirangi, on 31 January, 2023. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Renters have the right to know if they are moving into a home that is at risk of flooding or earthquakes, an advocacy group says.
A law change that comes into force in 2025 means councils must disclose natural hazard risks to prospective home buyers via land information memorandums (LIMs).
But Renters United president Geordie Rogers said prospective tenants were still in the dark.
They should be privy to the same information, especially with the increased frequency of severe weather events, Rogers said.
"There's no standard in terms of making sure a renter is informed of what risks posed by the environment are at the property."
Healthy Homes standards required landlords to show their property was properly heated, insulated and has working fire alarms. Rogers believed there should be similar statements regarding flood or earthquake risks.
"Something like that could very much help renters decide whether it's a risk they want to take on when they move in.
"As living in flood prone areas becomes higher risk, we foresee more of these properties being rented out instead of being occupied by their owners."
New Zealand Property Investors' Federation president Sue Harrison says usually the risk to tenants is minimised because investors would have checked for risks already. (file image) Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
On the other hand, New Zealand Property Investors' Federation president Sue Harrison said people were aware that most places in New Zealand had some level of risk.
For example, much of Wellington was on a steep hill and earthquake-prone, while the rest was in a tsunami zone - and other risks were unforeseen, Harrison said.
"There is no real way of predicting when cyclones are going to hit a region, or if anywhere is likely to be more vulnerable than others."
It did not seem to be a pressing issue for tenants, she said.
"It's, in some cases, the last thing on their mind, and when the investor is buying a property, it's the first thing on their mind - they want a property that's as secure as possible - so it's being, hopefully, taken mostly care of in the first instance.
"I think there's probably bigger housing issues to be worried about.
"Renters United has a good part to play in working to help renters, but I suggest there are other conversations that could make a much bigger difference than trying to pin owners to disasters, caused by 'acts of God'."
