Healthy Homes Standards New Zealand
We are fully up to date with the latest Healthy Home Standards as set out below;
Smoke Alarm Standard 1st July 2016
There must be a minimum of one working smoke alarm within 3 meters of each bedroom door and in a self-contained caravan, sleep out or similar there must be a minimum of one working smoke alarm. In multi-story units there must be one smoke alarm on each level within the household unit. Long life Photoelectric smoke alarms are now required.
The Landlord is responsible for making sure smoke alarms are in working order at the beginning of every new tenancy. The tenant is responsible for replacing the batteries (if required) during their tenancy.
Insulation Standard (Auckland)
1st July 2019 Current
Your Auckland property will comply with the current legislation if the ceiling insulation, as originally installed, achieved (at least) the R-value of 2.9 and the underfloor insulation, as installed, achieved (at least) the R-value of 1.3
Within 90 day of 1st July 2021 for any new or renewed tenancy or 1st July 2024 for any tenancies on periodic
Landlords who have installed new insulation since 1 July 2016 should already meet the requirements of the 2008 Building Code, so they won’t need to do anything further to comply with the new healthy homes standards that come into effect on 1st July 2021, however Landlords should still check that the insulation is in a reasonable condition periodically.
Insulation that was installed after 1st July 2016 was installed to achieve (at least) the R-value of 2.9 in the ceiling and the R-value of 1.3 for underfloor.
What if your property was insulated before 1st July 2016?
Tenancy Services Website - Insulation Requirements a Guide for Landlords states;
Existing ceiling insulation that was installed before 1 July 2016 must be at least 120mm thick.
Ceiling insulation that is less than 120mm thick is acceptable if the landlord can prove:
- the insulation’s R-value met the minimum R-values 2.9 when it was installed, and
- the insulation’s thickness has not degraded by more than 30% (compared to when it was installed).
Within 90 day of 1st July 2021 for any new or renewed tenancy or 1st July 2024 for any tenancies on periodic
As the part of healthy homes standards, the heating standard requires landlords to provide a fixed heater that can directly heat the main living room of every rental property to a maintained temperature of at least 18 degrees Celsius. It must be an acceptable type of heater and also needs to meet a required minimum heating capacity for the size of the room. The heater must not be an open fire or an un flued combustion heater.
Within 90 day of 1st July 2021 for any new or renewed tenancy or 1st July 2024 for any tenancies on periodic
All habitable rooms in a rental property must have at least one window, door or skylight which opens to the outside and can be fixed in the open position. In each room, the size of the openable windows, doors and skylights together must be at least 5% of the floor area of that room.
All kitchens and bathrooms must have an extractor fan vented to the outside.
Kitchens – In any room with a cooktop, new fans or rangehoods installed after 1 July 2019 must have a minimum diameter (including ducting) of 150mm or an exhaust capacity of at least 50 litres per second.
Bathrooms – In any room with a shower or bath, new fans installed after 1 July 2019 must have a minimum diameter (including ducting) of 120mm or an exhaust capacity of at least 25 litres per second.
Fans put in before 1 July 2019 must ventilate to the outside the house and be in good working order, but they don’t have to meet the requirements listed above. When they stop working, they must be repaired to be in good working order or replaced with fans which do meet all the requirements.
Moisture and Drainage Standard
Within 90 day of 1st July 2021 for any new or renewed tenancy or 1st July 2024 for any tenancies on periodic
As healthy homes standards, rental properties must have efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall. The drainage system must include gutters, downpipes and drains for the removal of water from the roof.
If the rental property has an enclosed subfloor, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.
A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet that can be bought from most building retailers. It can be installed by a house owner or a building professional.
Within 90 day of 1st July 2021 for any new or renewed tenancy or 1st July 2024 for any tenancies on periodic
Any gap or hole bigger than 3mm which lets air into or out of the home should be blocked. This excludes wall vents, key holes, extractor fans/ventilation devices and chimney flues
