From 1 July 2025, all tenancies must fully comply with the Healthy Homes Standards (HHS). There is no longer a grace period. Properties must be fully compliant, period.
Healthy Homes compliance is not optional. It is also not a one-off project. It is a system that needs to be installed, maintained, and recorded properly. This article outlines the key steps all landlords should take.
Get a proper Healthy Homes assessment
A compliance statement is a legal requirement. It sets out how the property complies with the Healthy Homes Standards and must be attached to the tenancy agreement. An assessment report, on the other hand, is optional. It is usually completed by a third-party provider who specialises in Healthy Homes compliance. These reports provide a detailed and objective evaluation of the property’s condition against all five standards. One is not a substitute for the other.
While landlords are not required to get an assessment report, it is a wise choice for anyone who is unsure about the details of the standards and wants peace of mind. After all, a compliance statement is a signed, declarative document. You are legally responsible for its accuracy. Indeed, the Tribunal has handed down penalties in cases where landlords provided incorrect or misleading statements.
If you do not have the knowledge or time to confidently assess your own property, use a qualified provider. APIA members can access discounted rates through our network of trusted partners.
Fix issues before problems arise
Tenants do not need to go to the Tenancy Tribunal to force compliance. They only need to make a complaint to the Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team (TCIT). TCIT can initiate investigations without the involvement of the Tribunal. If your property is not compliant, if records are missing or out of date, if you’ve recycled previous compliance statements, you could be contacted by an investigator.
Be proactive. Fix issues early and document the work. Don’t wait for a complaint to be made.
Include Healthy Homes in your routine inspections
Healthy Home compliance does not end once the chattels are installed. The law also requires landlords to keep those items in good working condition. At routine inspections, check the heating, ventilation, moisture barriers, and draught-stopping features. Make sure they are still working and undamaged. Every few years, inspect the insulation visually to confirm that it has not been disturbed or degraded. In appropriate instances, arrange for regular heat pump maintenance.
Failure to maintain Healthy Homes features can result in a breach of s45(1)(b) of the RTA, even if the property was originally compliant.
Buying a rental? Be careful where you get your information
When buying a property that will be used as a rental, be cautious about relying on the vendor or the real estate agent for Healthy Homes information.
“In my experience, too many real estate agents are either flippant about Healthy Homes or just plain wrong,” says General Manager, Sarina Gibbon, “Unless they are active landlords themselves, most don’t know the standards well enough to give reliable advice.”
Get your own independent assessment. Factor in the cost and time required to bring the property up to standard. If possible, negotiate for early access so you can begin work before the tenancy starts.
Understand the real cost of non-compliance
The penalty for breaching landlord obligations under the RTA is capped at $7,200 across seven s45 breach types. That includes the five Healthy Homes Standards.
This cap creates a perverse incentive. Some landlords may choose to risk non-compliance because the possibility of a fine appears manageable. This kind of short-term thinking erodes trust in landlords and increases the risk of harsher and blunter regulations.
“Landlords have to start understanding the consequences of our collective reputation on individual outcomes. What looks like a clever shortcut today is just fueling the fire for more draconian regulations tomorrow,” says Sarina. “The Greens’ rental WOF policy is very popular with voters. If you think Healthy Homes is an overreach, think again. False economies like calculated non-compliance are not sustainable. Not for individual landlords and not for the sector as a whole.”
Landlords should focus on long-term business continuity. That means keeping properties compliant, maintaining good relationships with tenants, and staying ahead of legal obligations.
Practical tip: Time your tenancies with care
A new, renewed or varied tenancy is a compliance checkpoint. If your Healthy Homes features are no longer functioning or properly maintained at that point, you are at risk of breaching the law. Landlords should time fixed-term renewals or new tenancies around periods when they are confident the property is fully compliant and well-maintained. This is a small operational change that protects landlords from unnecessary risk.
Summary
The Healthy Homes Standards are now fully enforceable. To stay compliant:
- Complete and retain a compliant Healthy Homes statement
- Consider getting an independent assessment report
- Fix issues early and document repairs
- Maintain Healthy Homes features over time and include chattel checks during routine inspections
- Verify information independently when buying rentals
- Time tenancy decisions with compliance confidence
“Nothing about owning and operating a rental property is passive,” says Sarina. “The best way to protect your interest is to meet compliance requirements head on.”
For more information or to access discounted assessments and services, visit www.apia.org.nz or speak to our trusted partners.
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