Housing

This section outlines some useful information about renting a suitable home, your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, how to look after your home and help with the financial aspects of managing a household.

Finding a Suitable Home

There is a shortage of affordable housing in New Zealand, and social housing stock is reserved for New Zealand citizens (on a low income) and a small number of quota refugees. Your Community Navigator can advice you on what housing options you maybe eligible for. The Settling-in programme offered by Red Cross offers comprehensive information about some of the support you maybe eligible for (depending on your situation)

Warm and Dry Home

As winter approaches, many people spend more time at home, so it can be especially important to pay attention to the condition of the property, including its potential effects on your health. There are resources available to help solve potential problems, and property owners in New Zealand are obligated to make sure that if their property is being used as someone's home, it is a safe and healthy environment. It is important for your family's health that the house is warm and dry.

Standards for Rental Home

Since July 2019, New Zealand has imposed a set of standards called the Healthy Homes standards, which apply to properties that are leased or rented. The property owners are the ones responsible for ensuring compliance with these standards. If you have concerns about the state of a rental property where you are living, speaking to your landlord about it should be your first step.

Financial Support

Managing a household can be expensive and this section outlines some helpful strategies and support that could be available for you.

Help with household bills

Advance on benefit: If there's something you need that you can't afford at the time, such as an electricity or heating bill debt for your home, you may qualify to get an advance on your benefit. You need to return that money, and there are certain conditions, so please discuss the details with your case manager.

Budgeting

A budget is a tool to keep track of money and how it is spent. Making a personal budget can be very useful, to help ensure you will be able to use your money in the way you want to.Budgeting is very easy. Simply add your household income (the amount of money you have coming in), then subtract your expenses (the amount of money going out to pay for things). Whatever is left over after you subtract your expenses is your discretionary income (money for you to use on whatever you want).

Pet Ownership

Owning a pet can be a wonderful part of life, and there are well-known mental health benefits associated with having animal companions. These include stress reduction, building self-esteem and a sense of responsibility, and even reducing the severity and likelihood of depression. But having a companion animal in New Zealand entails complying with certain rules and obligations. This section outlines some key areas to be aware of.