Healthy Homes Standards – What you need to do by July 2020

The Healthy Homes Standards became law in July 2019 and determine how a rental property should be heated.

All private rentals must comply with all healthy homes standards, including the heating standard, within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy on or after 1 July 2021.

If you are a landlord, it’s important to know what you need to do to ensure your property complies with the standards and provides your tenant with a safer, healthy home.

Nearly 600,000 homes in New Zealand are rented and research has shown that the quality of rental housing is poorer than owner occupied homes.

As a landlord, you are responsible for maintaining your property in line with the new standards and so firstly, you need to know what you need to do, and how we can help.

Full details of the standards can be found on the government website Healthy Homes but we can help you to understand what you need to do when it comes to heating your rental properties.

Healthy Homes Standards For Heating Rental Properties

The healthy home standards make it clear that landlords have a legal obligation and responsibility to provide safe and working heating for their tenants. That heating must be able to maintain the main living area of the property with a temperature of 18 degrees celsius. More specifically you must:

There Must Be a Fixed Heater That Can Directly Heat The Main Living Area

The important thing to note here is that the main living area must be able to be heated to a temperature of at least 18 degrees.

There must be at least one fixed heater, more if required to deliver the minimum heat requirements.

The heater must be fixed and at least 1.5kW in terms of heating capacity.

The Heater Must Not Be an Open Fire

Compliant types of heater include heat pumps, wood burner or a fluid gas heater. Open fires are not compliant and electric heaters (except heat pumps) can only be used in rooms where the required capacity is less than 2.4 kW.

Temperature control is key as is location of the heater

If you use a heat pump, it must have a thermostat. Being able to maintain a comfortable and healthy temperature is a key goal for the standard.

Heat Pumps Are The Safe, Economical and Easy Way to Comply

Installing a heat pump into your rental property is a simple and easy way to ensure your property complies with the new healthy homes standards. Our range of  heat pumps feature models that are economical to install and run and will ensure that your property is heated with modern standards, adding value as well as ensuring you are compliant.

How to Find Out What Size Heat Pump You Need?

It’s most important to choose a heat pump with the right capacity to heat your property for the comfort of your tenants and also to ensure you can comply with the healthy homes law.

Heat and Cool offers a range of heat pump solutions including  traditional wall-mounted designs (high wall heat pumps), multi-room  systems or floor-mounted systems which are discreet and ideal for replacing older heating systems such as fireplace and night storage heaters.  

Ask the Heat Pump Experts

Heat and Cool are Auckland’s leading Mitsubishi partner so you can be confident in our high standards and service. We have over 25 years of experience and are an Kiwi, family owned business known for excellence in our service.

At Heat and Cool, we offer no-obligation quotes to help you select the best possible heat pump system for your home. Every home is different, so it’s always wise to ask the experts for help in choosing the right heat pump to meet your needs!

Once you’ve selected the right heat pump, our professional team will get to work on your hassle-free heat pump installation, instantly upgrading your property to make it warmer and more comfortable in winter for your tenants and compliant with the new law.

So why wait? Get in touch with our team of experts today!

Heathy Homes FAQs

How do I know what size heat pump my rental property needs?

Heat pump sizing depends on factors such as room size, ceiling height, insulation, window area, and layout. Choosing the wrong size can lead to non-compliance or poor heating performance. That’s why we offer no-obligation assessments, our experienced team calculates the correct capacity to ensure your property meets Healthy Homes requirements and keeps tenants comfortable.

What happens if my rental property doesn’t meet the Healthy Homes heating standard?

Landlords are legally responsible for compliance, and failure to meet the standard can result in fines and tenancy disputes. More importantly, inadequate heating can affect tenant health and satisfaction. At Heat & Cool, we help landlords avoid these issues by supplying and installing compliant heating solutions that meet all legal requirements.

Why should I choose Heat & Cool for Healthy Homes heat pump installation?

We’re an Auckland-based, family-owned business with over 25 years of experience and a trusted Mitsubishi Electric partner. We handle everything from assessment and system selection to professional installation making compliance simple and stress-free.