Healthy Homes Standards explained

The five standards

The Healthy Homes Standards set minimum requirements every New Zealand rental must meet across five areas: heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture and drainage, and draught stopping. Together they’re designed to make rentals warmer, drier and healthier to live in. Your tenancy agreement should include a compliance statement setting out how the property meets, or will meet, each standard.

Heating and insulation

Your main living area must have a fixed heater that can warm the room to a healthy temperature, and ceiling and underfloor insulation must meet the required levels where it’s reasonably practical to install. These two standards do the heavy lifting on comfort and power bills, a properly heated, insulated home is dramatically cheaper and easier to keep warm through winter.

Ventilation, moisture and draughts

Kitchens and bathrooms need extractor fans or windows to clear steam, and the property must have effective drainage and, where there’s an enclosed subfloor, a ground moisture barrier. Unnecessary gaps and draughts must be blocked. These measures tackle the damp and condensation that drive mould, protecting both your health and your belongings.

If your rental falls short

If you suspect your home doesn’t meet a standard, raise it in writing with your property manager and point to the compliance statement. Bringing a property up to standard is the landlord’s legal responsibility and cost, not something you should pay for or simply put up with. Tenancy Services can guide you, and the Tribunal can order compliance if needed.