Presbyterian Support Otago researcher the Rev Dennis Povey, a writer of Presbyterian Support Otago's Out in The Cold report, told Dunedin City councillors in November, the council needed to do more about the shoddy rental housing in Dunedin.
''We want to support council in any initiative that in the long term gets some of this shoddy rental housing off the market and if that leads to some urban renewal in critical areas of the city, we are highly supportive.''
Mr Povey said he conducted a similar survey 10 years ago, which included several of the same houses, and nothing much had changed.
He wanted the council to implement a licensing scheme, where if a property was rented for more than two months the landlord would need a council licence to ensure the houses was deemed ''habitable, safe and up to standard''.
''We've gone the hope-and-pray way in the last 10 years and voluntary schemes haven't worked. We regulate places that serve food.
''Landlords are operating businesses that affect our community and our citizens, I don't see there is a knock-down argument for excluding those businesses in some kind of licensing regime.
''If landlords could not get a licence then [properties] would go back on the market - where we want them - so someone can buy them up, demolish them and start over again. I see this as a part of long-term urban renewal.''
The lowest-scoring house in the report a decade ago was in Mornington and the suburb took the dubious honour again, he said.
''The lowest-scoring property we saw 10 years ago had scrim on the walls and you could feel the air blowing through it.
''The lowest-scoring one this time wasn't much better and people are renting these places, often because they can't find anywhere else.''
City councillor Mike Lord said he was a landlord and a licensing scheme was impractical.
''While it sounds good in theory, it will put costs on and drive rents up. No-one is going to want to get a council licence and council is not going to want to do those things for nothing ... if it is more cost, and no more income, why would you want to do it?'' he asked.
The extra cost of a licensing scheme would result in fewer affordable rental properties, he said.
Mr Povey said: ''If you can't afford the overheads of your business and make a profit then you go out of business.''
The council needed to act soon, Mr Povey added.
''I wouldn't want to be doing this in another 10 years and find as little progress as we have done in last 10 years.''
