Rental costs — at a glance

As home ownership falls in New Zealand, there is a push to make renting more secure and affordable.

Government data shows renting is unaffordable for 54 per cent of people in Auckland and 61 per cent nationwide.

That means these people have below average incomes once their rent has been deducted. The trend has been steady or falling slightly since about 2012.

As the proportion of renters grows, the Government wants to make tenancies more secure.

A law change to ban letting fees is expected before Parliament soon. It will be followed by further changes which will mean landlords can only lift rents once a year, rather than once a month, and will not be able to evict tenants without reason.

Landlords will also have to show how rent increases will be calculated when they sign a tenancy agreement. It will not go as far as capping rent increases or allowing tenants to stay in a property as long as they want, which has been called for by some advocacy groups.

A law change in November paved the way for minimum standards for insulation and heating in rental properties, though the standards have not yet been introduced.

As part of a package of changes introduced in July, support for accommodation costs was lifted for some low and middle income earners.

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