Healthy Homes compliance checklist 2026: what every NZ landlord must know

What are the Healthy Homes Standards in New Zealand?

If you want the short answer, here it is: before winter, NZ landlords should check whether the rental still meets the five Healthy Homes areas in real conditions, not just on paper. That means the main living room heater can actually reach 18°C, insulation is still doing its job, kitchen and bathroom extraction still clears moisture, gutters and drainage are working, and draught gaps or moisture clues are not being ignored.

Every private rental property in New Zealand must already comply with the Healthy Homes Standards. There is no grace period left. But the useful landlord move is not just remembering the rules. It is running a practical before-winter inspection while problems are still cheaper to fix and tradie availability is usually better than it is mid-winter.

The Healthy Homes Standards were introduced by the New Zealand government to keep rental properties warm, dry, and safe. They cover heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping. As a self-managing landlord, your job is not only to tick a compliance box once. It is to keep those systems working as weather, wear, and tenant use expose weak spots.

The quickest before-winter Healthy Homes check

If you only do one pass this month, check these five areas first:

• Heating: Does the main living room heater still perform properly, or is it technically installed but weak in practice?
• Insulation and heat loss: Are there obvious cold rooms, draughts, or signs the home is still expensive to heat?
• Ventilation: Do bathroom fans, rangehoods, and openable windows still clear moisture properly?
• Moisture and drainage: Are gutters, downpipes, and ground drainage coping before heavier winter rain arrives?
• Draughts and small defects: Are there gaps, failed seals, or small leaks that will become condensation or damage problems once the weather turns?

For the broader seasonal maintenance pass beyond strict compliance, see our rental maintenance checklist for autumn before winter.

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The five Healthy Homes Standards explained

1. Heating standard

Your rental property must have a fixed heater in the main living room that can heat the room to at least 18°C.

What qualifies:

• Heat pump (the most common and efficient choice)
• Wood burner or pellet burner (must comply with regional clean air rules)
• Flued gas heater
• Compliant electric heater (must be fixed, not portable)

What does NOT qualify:

• Portable electric heaters (fan heaters, oil column heaters)
• Unflued gas heaters (these are actually banned in bedrooms)
• Open fireplaces alone (unless supplemented with a qualifying heater)

How to check: The heater must have enough capacity (in kilowatts) to heat your living room to 18°C. The required capacity depends on the room size, insulation level, location, and altitude. Use the Tenancy Services heating tool to calculate the minimum heating capacity for your property.

Helena's tip: If you're unsure, a correctly sized heat pump almost always meets the standard and is the most cost-effective option for tenants too.

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2. Insulation standard

Ceiling and underfloor insulation must meet minimum R-values, or be the best practicable option if the property can't physically accommodate the required levels.

Minimum R-values:

| Location | Ceiling | Underfloor | |----------|---------|------------| | Zone 1 (Auckland, Northland) | R 2.9 | R 1.3 | | Zone 2 (most of NZ) | R 2.9 | R 1.3 | | Zone 3 (colder areas — Central Otago, inland Canterbury) | R 3.3 | R 1.3 |

What to check:

• Is ceiling insulation present, in good condition, and at the correct depth/R-value?
• Is underfloor insulation present and in good condition (not sagging, damaged, or missing sections)?
• If the property has a concrete slab floor, underfloor insulation is not required — but ceiling insulation still is.

Common issues: Old insulation that has compressed over time, water-damaged insulation, missing sections where renovations removed insulation.

Helena's tip: If insulation was installed before 2008 and hasn't been topped up, it probably doesn't meet current R-values. Get a professional inspection.

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3. Ventilation standard

Habitable rooms need adequate ventilation — usually through openable windows, plus extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms.

Requirements:

• All habitable rooms must have at least one openable window or door to the outside
• Kitchens must have a functioning rangehood or extractor fan that vents to the outside (not recirculating)
• Bathrooms and en-suites must have an extractor fan that vents to the outside, OR an openable window with an area of at least 5% of the floor area

How to check:

• Open every window in every room — do they all open easily?
• Turn on the rangehood — does it actually vent outside, or does it recirculate?
• Turn on bathroom fans — do they work? Do they vent outside?

Common issues: Painted-shut windows, rangehoods that recirculate instead of extracting, broken or disconnected extractor fans.

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4. Moisture ingress and drainage standard

The property must have efficient drainage and no signs of moisture ingress.

Requirements:

• Gutters, downpipes, and drains must be in good condition and functioning
• The subfloor must have a ground moisture barrier if it has an enclosed subfloor space
• No ponding or pooling of water around foundations
• Adequate drainage for the site

How to check:

• Walk the exterior after rain — is water draining away from the building?
• Check gutters and downpipes — are they clear, connected, and draining properly?
• Check under the house (if accessible) — is there a moisture barrier? Is the ground dry?
• Look for signs of moisture inside: condensation on windows, mould growth, musty smells, peeling paint

Helena's tip: Moisture issues are the most commonly overlooked standard. A quick walk around the property after heavy rain tells you almost everything you need to know.

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5. Draught stopping standard

All unused chimneys, fireplaces, and gaps/holes in walls, ceilings, windows, floors, and doors must be blocked or repaired to prevent draughts.

Requirements:

• Unused open fireplaces must be blocked off
• Gaps around windows and doors must be sealed
• Holes in walls, floors, or ceilings (from removed fixtures, old wiring, etc.) must be filled
• Ranch sliders and external doors must close properly without visible gaps

How to check:

• On a windy day, walk through the property and feel for draughts around windows, doors, and any openings
• Check that all external doors and windows close properly and latch securely
• Look for visible gaps or holes in walls, floors, and ceilings
• Check that unused fireplaces are sealed

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The Healthy Homes compliance statement

Since 1 July 2025, landlords must include a Healthy Homes compliance statement in every new or renewed tenancy agreement. This is a legal declaration that your property meets all five standards.

What you're declaring:

• The property complies with all five Healthy Homes Standards, OR
• You've identified areas of non-compliance and have a plan to address them (this is only acceptable in very limited circumstances)

Important: Signing a compliance statement for a property that doesn't actually comply is a breach of the RTA. If a tenant challenges it and you can't demonstrate compliance, you could face penalties.

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What happens if you don't comply?

The consequences are real:

• Fines up to $7,200 per breach — and each of the five standards is a separate potential breach
• Exemplary damages — the Tenancy Tribunal can award these on top of fines
• Rent orders — tenants can apply for rent to be reduced until the property complies
• Reputational damage — Tribunal decisions are publicly searchable

Since the grace period ended, Tenancy Services has increased its enforcement activity. If a tenant makes a complaint, you will be investigated.

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Why autumn is the best time to check Healthy Homes compliance

A lot of landlords treat Healthy Homes as a paperwork task, then only notice the weak spots once winter pushes the property harder.

That is backwards.

Heating, insulation, extraction, drainage, and draught control are easiest to assess before the coldest weather arrives. In autumn, you can still test the heater, inspect the gutters after rain, check whether fans are actually venting outside, and fix smaller seal or leak problems before they turn into mould, tenant frustration, or a compliance dispute.

In other words, winter is when the consequences show up. Autumn is when the leverage still sits with the landlord.

Your compliance action plan

Here's a practical step-by-step approach:

Step 1: Self-assess

Walk through your property with this checklist. Check each of the five standards against the requirements above. Take photos and notes.

Step 2: Get professional help where needed

For insulation assessments, heating calculations, and ventilation checks, consider getting a professional healthy homes assessment. Many insulation companies offer free assessments.

Step 3: Fix issues

Address any non-compliance. Common fixes:

• Install or upgrade a heat pump (heating)
• Top up ceiling insulation, install underfloor insulation (insulation)
• Install rangehood or bathroom extractor fans (ventilation)
• Clear gutters, install ground moisture barrier (moisture/drainage)
• Seal gaps, block unused fireplaces (draught stopping)

Step 4: Document everything

Keep receipts, photos, and records of all compliance work. You'll need these if a tenant ever challenges your compliance statement.

Step 5: Stay on top of it

Compliance isn't a one-time task. Insulation degrades, fans break, gutters block. Build regular property checks into your routine.

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How keel helps you stay compliant

Healthy Homes compliance is not one document. It is an operating rhythm.

You need one place to track heater issues, extraction failures, drainage work, insulation questions, photos, quotes, and tenant-reported problems without losing the thread between inspections.

keel helps self-managing landlords turn that scattered admin into a review-led workflow. You can keep the property status, follow-ups, and supporting evidence in one place instead of stitching it together from texts, reminders, and memory.

If Healthy Homes is one of the jobs eating your evenings, start with Keel's Healthy Homes compliance use case or start your free 30-day trial at onkeel.co.nz.

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Frequently asked questions

Do all rental properties in NZ need to comply with Healthy Homes Standards?

Yes. Since 1 July 2025, all private rental properties in New Zealand must fully comply with all five Healthy Homes Standards. There are no remaining grace periods or exemptions for existing tenancies.

What is the maximum fine for not meeting the Healthy Homes Standards?

The maximum fine is $7,200 per breach. Since there are five separate standards, the total potential penalty exposure for a completely non-compliant property could be significantly higher.

Do I need a professional assessment for Healthy Homes compliance?

It's not legally required, but it's strongly recommended — especially for insulation R-value calculations and heating capacity assessments. Many insulation companies offer free assessments.

What if my property can't physically meet a standard?

In limited cases where it's not reasonably practicable to fully comply (e.g., a heritage building where insulation can't be installed), you must achieve the "best practicable" alternative. Document why full compliance isn't possible and what you've done instead.

Where can I get official information about the Healthy Homes Standards?

The official source is Tenancy Services. They provide detailed guidance on each standard, including calculators and tools to help you assess your property.

What should I check before winter if the property is already technically compliant?

Check the real-world failure points, not just the paperwork. Test whether the heater still performs, confirm extractor fans and windows are actually clearing moisture, inspect gutters and drainage after rain, look for draughts and failed seals, and pay attention to cold rooms or damp smells. A property can look compliant on paper and still be drifting toward a winter problem in practice.

How does keel help with Healthy Homes compliance?

keel tracks compliance status for each property, helps you document work, and gives self-managing landlords a clearer workflow for inspections, follow-ups, and tenant-reported issues. Skip can answer requirement questions and help surface weak spots before they become winter problems. Start a free trial at onkeel.co.nz.