Nearly 600,000 households rent in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Rental properties are often in poorer condition than owner-occupied homes. There is a link between cold, damp and mouldy homes and bad health outcomes – especially for people with asthma and heart conditions.

By improving the quality of rental homes, we improve the health of New Zealanders who rent. Warm, dry homes are also less likely to have issues with mould or mildew damage – so improving them is a double win!

If you are a tenant or a landlord, you need to know this stuff

The healthy homes standards became law on 1 July 2019. There are currently five standards that tenants should know their rights on and landlords should be obeying. In summary:

Heating

A fixed source of heating that is adequate to heat your main living room.

Insulation

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been required since July 2019. The healthy homes standard is about making sure it meets new requirements and is in reasonable condition. It is compulsory to have insulation where it is reasonably practicable to install.

Ventilation

Bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms and kitchens in all rental homes must have an openable window or door that can be fixed open to the outside. Kitchens and bathrooms must have an extractor fan or a continuous mechanical ventilation system to remove moisture.

Moisture ingress and drainage

Guttering and drainage should be up to the job and an enclosed subfloor (that’s the bit below the house if it doesn’t sit directly on the ground) requires a polythene moisture barrier.

Draught stopping

Any noticeable draughts from unreasonable gaps or holes should be sealed and any unused open fireplaces should be blocked off.

Signed, sealed and delivered

Landlords must sign a statement of intent to comply with the healthy homes standards in any new, varied or renewed tenancy agreement.

New tenancy, new timelines

If you have signed a new or renewed tenancy, your landlord must comply within 90 days. Certain types of properties may be eligible for extra time to comply with the heating standard.

July 2024 deadline

All rental homes must comply with the healthy homes standards by this date.

The latest changes to the healthy homes standards came into force on 12 May 2022. Exemptions may apply in certain circumstances. There are compliance timeframes to meet and compliance statements must be supplied. Landlords should maintain records to prove their compliance actions and timeframes.

Parsonages are included too

The healthy homes standards apply to all rental properties including presbyter housing, whether the presbyter housing is supplied by a Methodist or a Uniting parish. Schedule D of the Presbyter’s Service Tenancy Agreement (on the MCNZ Property and Insurance webpages) specifically covers the healthy homes standards.

What if my landlord hasn’t met the healthy homes standards?

If you are a tenant and your rental does not meet the healthy homes standards by its deadline, talk to your landlord. There may be reasons outside of their control as to why they haven’t been able to meet the deadline for a particular standard, for example supply issues. If you reach an agreement, write down what you’ve agreed then sign and date it.

If you can’t come to an agreement on how to sort out the problem, you can consider issuing a notice to remedy. This gives the landlord a fixed period of time to get the work done. The fixed period of time must be reasonable (not less than 14 days). If the landlord does not fix the problem within the time allowed, you can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to sort the matter out.

Healthy home habits - whether you rent or own

· Open windows and doors in the morning to give the house an air-out. 15 minutes should do it.

· Dry washing outside if possible, or in a room with the doors closed and a window open.

· Use the extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens and open windows when showering or cooking.

· Use lids on pots when cooking.

· Wipe off any condensation from the windows.

· Move furniture away from the walls so there is a gap to let the air flow through.

· Air out a room after you leave it and turn off the heater. By releasing the heat you’ll avoid condensation.

· Keep in contact with your landlord or maintenance person about any damage or repairs. Things like blocked or leaking downpipes and gutters, leaks in pipes, dampness or leaks in walls or ceilings, and signs of mould can cause major problems if left unfixed.

Details on all of the above can be found at https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/healthy-homes/ or https://www.methodist.org.nz/tangata/property-and-insurance/

For assistance with Church residential rentals including parsonages, contact wendya@methodist.org.nz