top of page
Search

Healthy Homes Standards: How Ventilation Fits Compliance for Landlords

Writer: Rankins Team
Rankins Team
2 days ago
5 min read

If you rent out a home in New Zealand, ventilation is one of the five Healthy Homes standards you have to meet. It is also one of the easiest to get wrong, because "ventilation" can mean very different things: a window, an extractor fan, or a whole-home system.


This guide explains what the ventilation standard actually requires, what does and does not count, and where a home ventilation system fits alongside it.



The short version


All rental properties must comply with the Healthy Homes standards. Landlords who don't are in breach of the Residential Tenancies Act, with financial penalties of up to $7,200. You must also keep records showing how you comply, and new or renewed tenancy agreements need a compliance statement (Tenancy Services).


The ventilation standard has two parts: openable windows and extractor fans.


What the ventilation standard requires


1. Openable windows and doors

  • The living room, dining room, kitchen and bedrooms each need at least one window, door or skylight that opens to the outside and can be fixed in the open position.

  • In each room, the openable area must add up to at least 5% of that room's floor area.


2. Extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms

Kitchens and bathrooms need an extractor fan that vents air outside. For fans installed after 1 July 2019:

  • Kitchens: a fan or rangehood with a minimum diameter (including ducting) of 150 mm, or an exhaust capacity of at least 50 litres per second.

  • Bathrooms: a fan with a minimum diameter (including ducting) of 120 mm, or an exhaust capacity of at least 25 litres per second.


Older fans (installed before 1 July 2019) must still vent outside and be in good working order. When they stop working, they need to be repaired or replaced with a fan that meets the current requirements.

Tenancy Services suggests asking your installer to give you the fan size, ducting and flow rate in writing. That paperwork is your proof of compliance.


Source for all of the above: Tenancy Services: Ventilation standard.


What does not count


This is where many landlords trip up. Tenancy Services says that recirculating systems (it names HRV and DVS products) and fans that do not extract air to the outdoors do not meet the ventilation standard. A kitchen or bathroom fan that vents into the roof space rather than outside will not pass either.

There is a narrow alternative for some homes with a qualifying continuous mechanical extraction system, plus two limited exemptions, for example where it is not reasonably practicable to fit a fan. These have strict criteria, and Tenancy Services recommends getting professional advice and keeping a copy of it.


Where a home ventilation system fits


Here is the honest picture. The Healthy Homes ventilation standard is about extraction in wet rooms and openable windows. A whole-home ventilation system is a separate thing. It does not replace the extractor fans and windows you need for compliance.


So why do many landlords install one?


Because meeting the minimum is not the same as having a dry home. A rental can tick every box on the standard and still have condensation running down the windows every winter morning. Tenancy Services notes that rental homes need to be free of mould and dampness before being rented out, and that tenants are responsible for ventilating the home during the tenancy (Tenancy Services: Heating and ventilation). But a tenant cannot air out a house that is cold, shaded or wind-lashed and will not dry.

That is the gap a system like MoistureMaster is designed to fill. MoistureMaster is a positive pressure ventilation system. It draws filtered air from the roof cavity and gently pushes it through the home, which forces damp, stale air out. It runs continuously, so it works all day rather than only when someone switches a fan on.


For a landlord, the practical benefits are:


  • less condensation and mould on windows and walls

  • fewer complaints and call-backs about dampness

  • better protection for the property over time

  • a home that is easier and cheaper for tenants to heat


Think of it this way: your extractor fans and openable windows are what keep you compliant. A home ventilation system is what helps keep the house dry.


If you want to be sure how a system fits with your Healthy Homes obligations, check the details with Tenancy Services or get advice for your specific property.


Why this matters in Wellington


Wellington homes face tougher moisture conditions than most. Strong wind drives rain sideways into walls and window frames, winters are cold, and many hillside and coastal houses get little drying sun. Older villas and bungalows were often built with no thought for moisture control.


If you are searching for home ventilation in Wellington or a ventilation system for a Wellington rental, the same rule applies. Fix compliance first (windows and extractor fans), then look at a whole-home system if damp is still an issue. MoistureMaster has a local Wellington team that offers a free home assessment.



A quick landlord checklist


  • Do the living room, dining room, kitchen and bedrooms all have openable windows or doors that meet the 5% rule?

  • Is there an extractor fan in every kitchen and bathroom, venting outside?

  • If fans were installed after 1 July 2019, do they meet the size or flow rate requirements, and do you have the details in writing?

  • Do you have records ready to show how you comply?

  • Have you included the Healthy Homes compliance statement in the tenancy agreement?

  • Is the home actually dry? If there is persistent condensation or mould, consider a ventilation system.


FAQs


Do all rental properties in NZ have to meet the Healthy Homes ventilation standard?

Yes. All rental properties must comply with the Healthy Homes standards. Specific exemptions exist, but they have strict criteria.

For fans installed after 1 July 2019, kitchens need a minimum 150 mm diameter (including ducting) or at least 50 L/s capacity. Bathrooms need a minimum 120 mm diameter or at least 25 L/s. Both must vent outside.

Not on its own. The standard requires openable windows plus extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms (or a qualifying continuous extraction system). Whole-home systems can help control moisture, but you should still make sure your windows and extractor fans meet the standard. Tenancy Services states that recirculating systems and fans that do not vent outdoors do not meet it.

It is a positive pressure home ventilation system that continuously brings filtered air into the home from the roof cavity to push out damp, stale air, helping to reduce condensation and mould. Rankin McManus supplies and services MoistureMaster across the North Island. See the MoistureMaster North Island page for details.

Yes. MoistureMaster has a local team in Wellington and offers a free home assessment. Visit the MoistureMaster Wellington page to book.

You are in breach of the Residential Tenancies Act and may face financial penalties of up to $7,200. You can also be required to fix the problem.

Landlords must provide a home that can be properly ventilated and is free of mould and dampness at the start of the tenancy. During the tenancy, tenants are responsible for airing the home and removing mould promptly.


 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page