Block gaps. Keep warmth.
Every NZ rental has to block unreasonable gaps in walls, ceilings, windows, floors, and doors that cause noticeable draughts. Open fireplaces in unused chimneys must be blockable too.
What the standard requires
Landlords must block any unreasonable gaps and holes in walls, ceilings, windows, floors, and doors that cause noticeable draughts. The word unreasonable is doing real work here: small ventilation gaps that are part of the building’s design (for example, trickle vents in a window frame) are fine, but a door that lets the wind through the gap at the bottom is not.
Open fireplaces in unused chimneys also have to be blockable. The block can be removable, but the landlord has to provide it.
The point of this standard is that you should not be heating the outside air. A draughty flat wastes the heating standard’s gains and drives your power bill up.
What to look for in your flat
- Seals around exterior doors. Run your hand along the edge with the door closed; you should not feel air moving.
- The gap under exterior doors. Daylight visible is a fail.
- Window frames that close tight. A loose pane that rattles in the wind is a draught path.
- Floors that feel colder than they should, especially near skirting boards or where two floor sections meet.
- Open fireplaces with no chimney block. Stand close to the fireplace on a cold day; if you feel cold air falling, the chimney is not blocked.
- Old kitchen extractor hoods or wall vents that no longer close.
What to do if it is not in place
Compliance status
Private rentals were required to meet the draught stopping standard by 1 July 2025. There is no remaining grace period for new or renewed tenancies.
Common exemptions
A small number of building specific exemptions exist, mostly for heritage properties where draught stopping work would compromise the building’s heritage value. The landlord has to claim and justify an exemption. For the full list, see Tenancy Services on Healthy Homes exemptions.
The other four standards
Heating
A fixed heater in the main living room, sized to warm the space properly. Portable heaters do not count.
Insulation
Ceiling and underfloor insulation that meets the minimum specification for your part of the country.
Ventilation
An openable window or door in every habitable room, plus extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms.
Moisture and drainage
Working guttering, downpipes, and stormwater drainage, plus a ground moisture barrier where there is an enclosed sub-floor.
Sources
This page summarises the draught stopping standard as published by Tenancy Services and the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. For the authoritative wording, see Tenancy Services on the draught stopping standard.
Last updated . Flatchat is not your lawyer; if your tenancy is heading to the Tribunal, talk to Tenancy Services or a qualified advocate.
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Before you sign.
Draughts make heating bills double. The Warmth rating on Flatchat is built from tenants who actually lived through a winter at the address you are looking at.