If you’re a landlord or looking to purchase an investment property in New Zealand, there is a big deadline just around the corner: From 1st July 2025, all rental properties must meet Healthy Homes Standards.
Whether you’ve recently purchased a rental, you’ve been holding property for years or looking at purchasing a rental property, now’s the time to get clear on what’s required – and how you can finance any upgrades that might be needed.
What are the Healthy Home Standards?
The Healthy Home Standards set minimum requirements for:
- Heating (in the living room)
- Insulation
- Ventilation
- Moisture ingress and drainage
- Drought stopping
The goal is for tenants to have warmer and drier homes, and landlords to achieve long-term cost savings through reduced wear and tear, mold, and maintenance issues.
What is the deadline, and what happens if I am not compliant?
From 1st July 2025, all rentals must comply. Failure to meet standards can result in financial penalties.
What kind of upgrades might be required?
Depending on your property’s age and condition, you may need to
- Install or upgrade heating (eg – heat pump in the living room)
- Top up or replace ceiling and underfloor insulation
- Add extraction fans in kitchens and bathrooms
- Seal gaps that cause draughts
- Install ground moisture barrier under homes with subfloors
To get a clear picture of what’s required, we recommend using the official Health Homes Standards Compliance Checklist from Tenancy Services. This will help you identify where your property stands and what work might be needed to meet the 2025 deadline.
Need Finance to Fund Healthy Homes Upgrades?
If you’re looking to use equity, top up an existing mortgage, or refinance to cover these costs – We can help.
If you’re needing to bring your rental up to standard, but you’re unsure how to fund it – we can help. Whether you’re looking to use equity, top up your existing mortgage, or refinance – We can guide you through your options.
Get in touch to discuss your options.
Will Healthy Homes Standards and Upgrades Affect Your Insurance?
The short answer? Not directly.
We checked in with our Insurance Supply Co team to get clarity whether meeting Healthy Home Standards impacts your property insurance. Here’s what they had to say:
Healthy Homes Standards doesn’t impact your ability to insure a rental. There are already standard insurance obligations – like keeping up with the property inspections, proper tenant selections, and rent management – but nothing tied specifically to Healthy Homes. Not complying with Healthy Homes Standards won’t void your insurance, nor will upgrading you property to meet the standards.
However, there is one important consideration:
If you make significant upgrades – like installing new insulation, ventilation systems, or heating – it’s worth reviewing your sum insured. If your current policy doesn’t reflect the new replacement value, you could be underinsured in the event of a major or total loss.
Not sure if your cover is still fit for purpose? Get in touch with our Insurance Team for a quick policy review – it’s free and could save you thousands down the line.
