Residential renters in Queenstown and Wanaka are still experiencing significant housing stress in the rental market despite rent prices falling in June, a local survey has revealed.

Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) surveyed more than 500 renters in June as part of its regular market research into the residential rental situation across the district. 

This year’s survey was expanded to include questions around wellbeing and the personal impact of COVID-19. Most of those surveyed lived in Queenstown.

Key findings are:

• 89 per cent of respondents consider, or possibly consider, housing affordability a barrier to their long-term commitment to the district
• 78 per cent of respondents who have rented in other parts of New Zealand consider affordability in the district worse than the rest of the country
• 25 per cent of respondents are unsatisfied with the warmth and dryness of their current housing, with the cost of heating and poor insulation noted as key barriers to adequate heating 
• In regards to wellbeing and the personal impact of COVID-19, 79 per cent of respondents experienced some degree of lost income, either through redundancy or reduced hours of work 
• 73 per cent of respondents had a household income under $100,000 per annum
• 78 per cent of respondents aspire to buy a home in the district. 

QLCHT executive officer Julie Scott said the survey results are important findings for the community. The trust receives consistently high demand for housing assistance, she added.

“We currently have 600 households on our waiting list, and demand has been growing post-COVID-19. Housing costs are the single largest cost item in a household budget for most of our key workers in town and incomes simply don’t compensate for these higher costs in our district – and this remains the case despite Queenstown rents taking their biggest drop in seven years.”

Established to manage and deliver affordable housing solutions to residents who cannot afford it, QLCHT has several programmes in place to help low-moderate income households including public housing, assisted rental, rent-to-buy, and assisted ownership. It has assisted 177 households to date with another 50 expected over the next 12 months.

“This research helps us better understand what housing hurdles renters are facing and where the greatest need lies in terms of future programmes and the allocation of resources,” Julie said.

The online survey was designed and conducted in-house by QLCHT. It follows on from previous research undertaken by QLCHT in 2009, 2012 and 2016. Respondents were predominantly female (74 per cent), New Zealand citizens or permanent residents (80 per cent), NZ European ethnicity (40 per cent), aged 30 to 39 years (40 per cent) and living in Queenstown (82 per cent).

The survey report, along with full findings, can be found on QLCHT’s website.