Healthy Homes Standards: a landlord's compliance checklist
The Healthy Homes Standards, introduced under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, set specific and detailed requirements for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture and drainage, and draught stopping in rental properties. As a landlord, understanding and meeting these standards isn't optional — and getting it wrong can be costly. Here's what you need to know.
The five standards, at a glance
● Heating — a fixed heater capable of achieving at least 18°C in the main living room.
● Insulation — ceiling and underfloor insulation meeting the current thickness requirements (a Healthy Homes compliance statement must confirm this).
● Ventilation — windows that open in habitable rooms, plus extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms where needed.
● Moisture and drainage — effective drainage for the property, and ground moisture barriers in enclosed subfloor spaces.
● Draught stopping — unreasonable gaps and unused chimneys or fireplaces sealed.
What compliance actually looks like
Every residential tenancy agreement must include a signed Healthy Homes compliance statement, confirming the current state of compliance and any timeframe for outstanding work. This isn't a box-ticking exercise — Tenancy Services and the Tenancy Tribunal can and do investigate non-compliance, and penalties can be significant.
Common gaps we see
● Underfloor insulation that was compliant historically but doesn't meet the current thickness standard.
● Extractor fans missing or non-functional in bathrooms without opening windows.
● Ground moisture barriers absent in older villas and bungalows with enclosed subfloors — very common across our region's older housing stock.
How we help our managed landlords
Every property under our management goes through a documented Healthy Homes assessment as part of onboarding, with a clear action plan for anything outstanding — so you're never caught out by a tenant complaint or an unexpected inspection.
Note: Not sure if your rental meets the standards? We offer Healthy Homes assessments for landlords across Wellington, Porirua, Kāpiti and the Hutt Valley for every property we manage.