Why Porirua's electrical jobs look the way they do
A city planned around state houses
Porirua became a city on 2 October 1965 after a housing boom. It was planned for 70,000 people between the 1940s and 1970s, with the state houses mostly in Tītahi Bay and eastern Porirua, especially Cannons Creek and Waitangirua. Cheaper materials such as fibrolite cladding came into use along the way.
Still a lot of renters
State housing fell from 78% of the city in 1977 to 41% by 2012. At the 2023 Census, 33.05% of Porirua households didn't own their home or hold it in a family trust, and 3,168 households lived in joined dwellings.
Wellington Electricity runs the lines
Its emergency line is 0800 248 148. An equipment fault in Titahi Bay on 14 April 2026 cut power to 799 customers at its peak, restored shortly after midnight. Titahi Bay, Plimmerton, Mana and Waitangirua were all listed as affected after the June 2013 storm.
Faults, coast and harbour
Three active faults cross Porirua, with the Ohariu Fault running through the city centre. The council lists coastal erosion and coastal flooding as its main coastal hazards, and WREMO says the coast and harbour area are at risk from tsunami.
What landlords and owners here usually need
Healthy homes heating. Every rental needs one or more fixed heaters that can heat the main living room to 18°C. Most landlords use a heat pump, and a heat pump or electric heater must have a thermostat. If the room needs more than 2.4 kW, a plain electric heater other than a heat pump won't do on its own.
Extractor fans that actually vent outside. Kitchen and bathroom fans fitted since 1 July 2019 have to meet set sizes, and recirculating fans don't count. Tenancy Services suggests getting the fan details from the installer in writing.
Smoke alarms. New or replacement rental alarms must be photoelectric with a battery life of at least 8 years, or hard-wired, in every room someone sleeps in or within 3 metres of each bedroom door.
Older wiring in 1950s to 1970s houses. Rewireable fuses, no RCDs and too few power points are common. An electrician can test the circuits and say whether the board or the wiring is the bigger job.
Who can do what in a Porirua rental
You can
- Tenants can test smoke alarms, replace dead batteries in older alarms, and tell the landlord about any problem.
- Anyone can switch off at the main switch in an emergency, if it's safe, and reset a tripped RCD once.
Leave to a licensed electrician
- Any electrical work in a rental, including fans and heater circuits: landlords and tenants can't do it unless they hold a practising licence.
- Switchboard and meter work, in any home.
Our take for Porirua landlords
We'd book one visit that covers the living room heater, both extractor fans and the smoke alarms, and ask for the details in writing. It's simpler than three separate call-outs, and it gives you the paperwork for the tenancy agreement's healthy homes statement.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.