Healthy Homes in 2026: no more grace period. Is your rental compliant?

If you've been putting off Healthy Homes compliance for your Canterbury rental, the grace period is over. As of 1 July 2025, all private rental properties must meet the Healthy Homes Standards from day one of any new or renewed tenancy. No exceptions, no extensions, no more "I'll get to it next year."

The Tenancy Tribunal is now actively awarding damages to tenants, not just issuing warnings. This article breaks down what the standards require, what non-compliance will cost you, and the practical steps to get your property across the line.

The Five Healthy Homes Standards

Every rental property in New Zealand must meet all five standards. Here's what each one involves.

### 1. Heating

The main living area must have a fixed heater capable of warming the room to at least 18 degrees Celsius. The required heating capacity is calculated based on the room's size, insulation, location, and altitude. A small plug-in heater in the corner won't cut it. You need a fixed device (heat pump, wood burner, or flued gas heater) that meets the calculated output for your specific room.

A generic 2.5kW unit won't necessarily meet the standard for a large open-plan living area. The required capacity depends on your room dimensions, insulation level, and Christchurch's climate zone. Get the calculation done properly.

### 2. Insulation

Ceiling and underfloor insulation must meet the 2008 Building Code standard or be in reasonable condition. If insulation was installed before 2016, it may have degraded or been disturbed. Underfloor insulation is particularly prone to sagging or being damaged by pests. Even if you had insulation installed years ago, it's worth having it checked.

### 3. Ventilation

All kitchens must have an operational rangehood or extractor fan that vents to the outside. All bathrooms must have either an operational extractor fan venting to the outside or an openable window. All other habitable rooms must have openable windows.

This is one of the most commonly missed standards. Many older Canterbury homes have recirculating rangehoods (with carbon filters) that do not meet the requirement. The fan must vent to the exterior of the building. Similarly, bathroom extractor fans that vent into the roof cavity rather than outside do not comply.

### 4. Moisture Ingress and Drainage

The property must have efficient drainage for the removal of stormwater, surface water, and ground water. If the property has an enclosed subfloor space, it must have a ground moisture barrier installed. There must be no notable moisture ingress from leaks or structural defects.

Underfloor ground moisture barriers are a common gap. Many properties built before the 1990s simply don't have them. Retrofitting a polythene ground cover is relatively inexpensive but frequently overlooked.

### 5. Draught-Stopping

All unused open fireplaces must be blocked. All windows and exterior doors must close properly without visible gaps. Any holes or gaps in walls, floors, ceilings, and windows that allow noticeable draughts must be stopped.

This sounds straightforward, but older properties often have subtle gaps around door frames, skirting boards, pipe penetrations, and old fittings that individually seem minor but collectively create significant heat loss.

Compliance Is a Legal Declaration

When you sign a new tenancy agreement, you must include a compliance statement confirming the property meets the Healthy Homes Standards. This is not optional. It is a legal declaration.

If the compliance statement is missing from the tenancy agreement, you face an infringement fee of $500. But the real risk is bigger: if a tenant takes you to the Tenancy Tribunal and proves the property does not meet one or more of the standards, the Tribunal can award exemplary damages of up to $7,200 per breach.

That means if your property fails on ventilation, heating, and insulation, you could be looking at up to $21,600 in damages, plus the cost of actually bringing the property up to standard.

The Tribunal is no longer treating non-compliance as a minor paperwork issue. Decisions from late 2025 and early 2026 show a clear pattern of damages being awarded, not just compliance orders.

What Canterbury Landlords Commonly Miss

Based on industry experience, these are the gaps that appear most frequently in Canterbury rental properties:

• Bathroom ventilation: Bathrooms with windows that don't open, or older extractor fans that vent into the roof cavity rather than outside. Both fail the standard.
• Recirculating rangehoods: Kitchen rangehoods with carbon filters do not meet the requirement. The fan must vent to the exterior of the building.
• Undersized heat pumps: A heat pump is installed, but it's undersized for the living room. The required capacity depends on room dimensions, insulation level, and Christchurch's climate zone. A generic 2.5kW unit won't necessarily meet the standard for a large open-plan living area.
• Sagging underfloor insulation: Insulation was installed but has sagged, fallen down, or been partially removed. It must be in reasonable condition to comply.
• Missing ground moisture barriers: Many older homes with enclosed subfloors have no moisture barrier at all. Retrofitting polythene ground cover is relatively inexpensive but frequently overlooked.
• Draught gaps around pipes and skirting: Small gaps around pipes, wiring, and old fittings that individually seem minor but collectively fail the standard.

What to Do Now

Step 1: Get a professional Healthy Homes assessment. For a standard three-bedroom property, expect to pay $200 to $300 plus GST. The assessor will measure, calculate, and document compliance against all five standards and produce a report identifying any gaps.

Step 2: Fix the gaps. Some fixes are minor (blocking a fireplace, replacing a rangehood). Others require more investment (upgrading a heat pump, installing underfloor insulation). Prioritise based on your assessment report.

Step 3: Update your compliance statement. Once the property meets all five standards, ensure your tenancy agreement includes the required compliance statement. If you already have a tenancy running, you must provide the statement at renewal or as required.

Step 4: Keep records. Hold onto your assessment report, receipts for remediation work, and a copy of the signed compliance statement. If a dispute ever arises, documentation is your best protection.

How Beina Can Help

At Beina, we ensure every property we manage is Healthy Homes compliant. We coordinate assessments, manage remediation, and handle the compliance documentation, so our landlords never face a Tribunal claim they didn't see coming.

If you're not sure whether your rental property meets the standards, or you want professional management that keeps you compliant and protected, get in touch with our team.

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