Rental properties and healthy homes standards
To improve the quality of rental properties in New Zealand, landlords need to meet the healthy homes standards.
Why the standards exist
The healthy homes standards aim to close the gap in quality between rental properties and owner-occupied homes.
According to Stats NZ:
Required healthy homes standards
The healthy homes standards are the minimum requirements for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture control and draught stopping in rental properties.
- Healthy homes standards — Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions & Transport
- Healthy homes — Tenancy Services
Penalties for not meeting the standards
Not meeting the standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act .
Healthy homes compliance — Tenancy Services
Landlords — check information from Tenancy Services
Renters — check information from Tenancy Services
- What a tenant needs to knowTenancy Services
- Tenant checklist for the healthy homes standardsTenancy Services
Details about each standard for healthy homes
Tenancy Services explains the standards for:
- heatingTenancy Services
- insulationTenancy Services
- ventilationTenancy Services
- moisture ingress and drainageTenancy Services
- draught stoppingTenancy Services.
Compliance statement — new or renewed tenancy agreements
Download the template for the compliance statement. Tenancy Services explains what needs to be included.
Compliance statement — Tenancy Services
Exemptions — when landlords can legally avoid one or more of the standards
There are some situations where the landlord can get an exemption. Check Tenancy Services for details about these situations.
Exemptions to the healthy homes standards — Tenancy Services
What happens if rental properties do not meet the standards
If landlords do not have an exemption, they must meet the standards.
- My rental home does not meet the Healthy Homes Standards: what can I do? — Citizens Advice Bureau
- Keeping your home warm and dry: what your landlord has to provide — Community Law
- Dealing with concerns about unhealthy housing — Aratohu Tenant Advocacy
- Contact us — Tenancy Services
Other requirements for rental properties
Laws and bylaws
There are other laws and bylaws landlords must comply with, such as the Building Act .
Laws and bylaws — Tenancy Services
Fire safety requirements
Renting or letting out your home — Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Landlords are legally required to have working smoke alarms installed within 3 metres of every bedroom.
Smoke alarms — Fire and Emergency
Some buildings are required to have an evacuation scheme. Check to see whether your building needs one.
Evacuation schemes and procedures — Fire and Emergency
Utility links and page information
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