Short version: the healthy homes standards are the minimum rules for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture and drainage, and draught stopping in rental homes. Since 1 July 2025, every private rental has had to comply, unless an exemption applies. A landlord who doesn't can face financial penalties of up to $7,200.
The five standards at a glance
| Standard | What the rental needs |
|---|---|
| Heating | One or more fixed heaters that can directly heat the main living room |
| Insulation | Ceiling and underfloor insulation to a minimum R-value for the climate zone |
| Ventilation | Opening windows in living spaces, and extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms |
| Moisture and drainage | Working gutters, downpipes and drains, and a ground moisture barrier under an enclosed subfloor |
| Draught stopping | No unreasonable gaps or holes that cause noticeable draughts |
Tenancy Services explains each one on its healthy homes pages. Here's what they mean in practice.
Heating
The main living room is the largest room used for everyday living, such as a lounge, family room or dining room. It needs one or more fixed heaters, not portable ones, that together meet the heating capacity the room needs. Each heater must be at least 1.5 kW.
- Open fires and unflued gas heaters, like portable LPG bottle heaters, don't count.
- A heat pump or electric heater must have a thermostat.
- If the room needs more than 2.4 kW, a plain electric heater won't do. In most homes that means a heat pump, wood burner, pellet burner or flued gas heater.
Tenancy Services has a heating assessment tool that works out how much heating a room needs. Older heaters installed before 1 July 2019 can still count if they meet certain conditions and supply at least 80% of the capacity needed.
Insulation
Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory in rentals since 1 July 2019. The healthy homes standard sets minimum R-values, a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. For homes that got building consent before 3 November 2022:
| Climate zone | Ceiling | Underfloor |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | R 2.9 | R 1.3 |
| Zone 2 | R 2.9 | R 1.3 |
| Zone 3 | R 3.3 | R 1.3 |
Existing ceiling insulation installed before 1 July 2016 must be at least 120 mm thick, with some exceptions. All insulation has to be in reasonable condition, without mould, damp, damage or gaps.
Ventilation
- Every habitable room needs at least one window, door or skylight that opens to the outside and can be fixed open.
- Together, the openings in each room must be at least 5% of its floor area.
- Kitchens and bathrooms need an extractor fan that vents outside, or a qualifying continuous ventilation system.
Fans installed after 1 July 2019 have minimum sizes. In a kitchen, it's a 150 mm diameter or 50 litres a second. In a bathroom, it's 120 mm or 25 litres a second. Recirculating systems that don't vent outside don't meet the standard.
Moisture ingress and drainage
The rental must have efficient drainage for storm water, surface water and ground water, including gutters, downpipes and drains for the roof. If the house has an enclosed subfloor, it needs a ground moisture barrier, usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, where it's possible to install one.
Draught stopping
Landlords must block unreasonable gaps or holes in walls, ceilings, windows, skylights, floors and doors that cause noticeable draughts. An old house is not a reason to skip it.
An open fireplace must be closed off or the chimney blocked. A tenant can ask in writing to use it, and if the landlord agrees, it has to be in good working order.
Deadlines and where things stand in 2026
There's no deadline left to meet. All private rentals have had to comply since 1 July 2025. Earlier dates still matter for older tenancies:
- 1 July 2019: landlords had to sign a statement of intent to comply and start keeping records.
- 1 December 2020: tenancy agreements had to include a statement of current compliance.
- 1 July 2021: boarding houses had to comply.
- 1 July 2024: Kāinga Ora and registered community housing providers had to comply.
- 1 July 2025: all private rentals had to comply.
The latest change Tenancy Services lists is a technical amendment on 25 September 2025. It doesn't affect a rental that already complies. It means a property that meets the healthy homes standards doesn't also have to meet the Housing Improvements Regulations 1947.
Some properties are exempt from parts of the standards, for example where a professional installer can't reach an area without major building work.
What landlords must keep
Every new, renewed or varied tenancy agreement must include a signed compliance statement about the property. Leaving it out can mean a penalty of up to $500 per tenancy. Landlords also have to keep records that show how the property complies.
A landlord can enter to do healthy homes work, but must give at least 24 hours' notice.
What tenants can do
- Ask for the records. Tenants can ask for information about compliance, and the landlord must provide it within 21 days.
- Talk to your landlord. There may be a reason, such as an exemption. If you agree on a fix, put it in writing, signed and dated.
- Send a notice to remedy. If you can't agree, this gives the landlord a reasonable amount of time to do the work.
- Apply to the Tenancy Tribunal if the work still isn't done.
Tenants have a part to play too. Air the house out, use the extractor fans, and tell the landlord about leaks or blocked gutters early.
Moving into a new rental? The tenancy bond post covers the bond you'll pay and how to get it back.
Common questions
What are the 5 healthy homes standards?
Heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping. Every private rental has had to meet them since 1 July 2025.
Does a heat pump meet the healthy homes heating standard?
Usually, if it's fixed, has a thermostat and has enough capacity for the main living room. The Tenancy Services heating assessment tool works out the capacity needed.
What is the penalty for not meeting healthy homes standards?
Landlords who don't meet the standards breach the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 and can face financial penalties of up to $7,200. Leaving the compliance statement out of a tenancy agreement can mean up to $500 per tenancy.
Can I ask my landlord if the rental meets the standards?
Yes. The landlord must give you information about compliance within 21 days of your request.
Sources: Tenancy Services, What a landlord needs to know, What a tenant needs to know, Heating standard, Insulation standard, Ventilation standard, Moisture ingress and drainage standard, Draught stopping standard and Healthy homes compliance. Checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.