The housing crisis is having an affect on our mental and physical well-being.

Massey University's longitudinal study: Health in Ageing Research, showed not only are renters more depressed, over time their mental wellbeing continues to decrease.

One of the study's authors, Professor Christine Stephens said the poorer mental health also transferred into poorer physical health over the four year study.

She said renters are more prone to the affects of loneliness and they're suspecting it's the sense of insecurity that comes with renting.

Professor Stephens said we need to realise home ownership is becoming a thing of the past and we need to tighten laws to increase security for people renting.

She said there are also concerns for older people who're about to retire.

"Older people are also going to be a concern because we worry about children, of course, but we've got a big older population coming up by 2020 there will be as many people over 65 as there are under 5.

"The Government can and should be taking some serious policy action to secure the health of people renting."

Professor Stephens added this age group are at extra risk of feeling lonely and homelessness will also continue to increase if nothing effective is done.