Healthy Homes Standards: a practical guide for New Zealand landlords
The Healthy Homes Standards set minimum requirements for rental homes in New Zealand. This guide gives landlords a practical starting point for reviewing a property and its records, with each regulatory point linked to current Tenancy Services guidance.
Published 12 October 2026 · Sources checked 12 October 2026
Start here
Use this guide to organise a review. For the rule that applies to a property, follow the linked Tenancy Services page and read its exemptions and technical detail.
01 / THE FRAMEWORK
What the Healthy Homes Standards cover
The standards cover five areas: heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping. All rental properties must comply with the standards, subject to the exemptions described in the official guidance.
For private rentals, Tenancy Services lists 1 July 2025 as the date by which all private rentals had to comply. That date has passed, so a landlord reviewing a property now should check the current requirements and any applicable exemption rather than relying on an old checklist.
02 / THE FIVE CHECKS
The five standards, in plain language
Use the points below as a review structure, not as a substitute for assessing the particular property. The official pages contain the detailed tests, exemptions, technical guidance, and links to tools.
- Heating: provide one or more fixed heaters that can directly heat the main living room. The heater or heaters must have at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and meet the required capacity for that room. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters do not qualify.
- Insulation: ceiling and underfloor insulation is compulsory in rental homes. Requirements are measured by R-value and vary by climate zone. Existing insulation must still be in reasonable condition, without mould, dampness, damage, or gaps.
- Ventilation: habitable rooms need an openable window, door, or skylight to the outside that can be fixed open, with the required openable area. Kitchens and bathrooms also have requirements for extractor fans or qualifying alternative ventilation.
- Moisture ingress and drainage: the property needs efficient drainage for storm water, surface water, and ground water, including appropriate gutters, downpipes, and drains. An enclosed subfloor generally needs a ground moisture barrier where it is possible to install one.
- Draught stopping: unreasonable gaps or holes in walls, ceilings, windows, skylights, floors, and doors that cause noticeable draughts must be stopped. An open fireplace must also be closed off or its chimney blocked to prevent draughts.
03 / THE PAPER TRAIL
Keep the evidence with the property record
Landlords must keep records and documents that show how they are complying with the Healthy Homes Standards, and make those records available when requested. Tenants can request information about compliance, and Tenancy Services says landlords must provide it within 21 days.
New or renewed tenancy agreements must include specific information about the property’s current level of compliance. Check the current compliance-statement guidance and template when preparing or renewing an agreement; Tenancy Services says a missing statement can lead to a financial penalty of up to $500 for each tenancy or other enforcement action.
A useful record set can include the signed compliance statement, measurements and assessments, installer or professional information, receipts, photographs, and notes about repairs or exemptions. Keep the record factual and property-specific.
04 / A PRACTICAL REVIEW
A sensible order for reviewing a rental
Start with the property’s current tenancy and compliance statement. Then review each of the five standards against the linked official page, record what you observed, and note which documents support the conclusion. If an exemption may apply, read the official exemption guidance and retain the supporting information rather than assuming the exemption.
Prioritise anything that needs professional assessment or physical work. Ask installers or assessors for the details needed to support the record, and revisit the official pages before acting because requirements and guidance can change. Tenancy Services notes that a technical amendment to the moisture ingress and drainage standard took effect on 25 September 2025.