What are the Healthy Homes Standards in NZ?
Short answer
The Healthy Homes Standards are minimum requirements that all rental properties in NZ must meet — heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture-ingress and drainage, draught stopping. The compliance deadline for all private rentals was 1 July 2025. Boarding houses had different timelines. Non-compliance exposes landlords to Tenancy Tribunal penalties up to $7,200.
Key facts
- Five standards: heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture, draughts
- Full compliance for private rentals: 1 July 2025
- Boarding houses had separate (earlier) timelines
- Compliance statement must be included in every new tenancy agreement
- Tenancy Tribunal penalties up to $7,200 per breach
The five standards in plain English
Heating: a fixed heater in the main living room of sufficient capacity (calculated to a formula). Plug-in heaters don't count.
Insulation: ceiling and underfloor at minimum prescribed R-values; condition matters (no gaps, no compression, no dampness).
Ventilation: openable windows, plus extract fans in kitchen and bathroom venting outside.
Moisture: ground moisture barrier under suspended floors; adequate drainage; no significant leaks.
Draughts: gaps around windows and doors sealed; unused fireplaces blocked or removed.
If you're a landlord
Every new or renewed tenancy agreement from 1 July 2025 must include a Healthy Homes compliance statement specifying which standards each property meets and how. Generic 'fully compliant' isn't enough — the form has detailed fields.
If you can't make the property compliant, you can't lawfully rent it — and a tenant can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal for remedies including rent reduction and compensation.
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Sources: Residential Tenancies (Healthy Homes Standards) Regulations 2019; Tenancy Services — tenancy.govt.nz. General information for NZ homeowners, not legal advice — building rules change and vary by council, so confirm critical details on the official source before acting. Last updated 2026-05.