HEALTHY HOMES STANDARDS · HEATING

A heater, fixed in place.

Every NZ rental needs a fixed heater in the main living room that is big enough to warm the space properly. Portable heaters do not count.

What the standard requires

Landlords must provide one or more fixed heaters that can directly heat the main living room to a comfortable temperature. The heater has to be the right size for the room, based on a heating capacity calculation that takes the room’s dimensions, insulation, window area, and climate zone into account.

Acceptable heater types include heat pumps, flued wood or pellet burners, and most fixed electric heaters (not small panel heaters in larger rooms). Unflued gas heaters and open fires do not meet the standard. Portable electric heaters never meet the standard, no matter how big they are.

Tenancy Services publishes a free heating assessment tool that does the capacity calculation for any room. If your landlord cannot show their working, you can run the same calculation yourself.

What to look for in your flat

5 checks
  • A heat pump, wall mounted electric heater, or wood burner installed in the main living room.
  • The heater is fixed in place, not plugged into a wall socket with a portable cord.
  • The heater turns on and reaches a usable temperature within a few minutes.
  • The heating capacity (in watts or kilowatts) is high enough for the room. Heat pumps usually show their rated heating capacity on a sticker near the indoor unit.
  • The landlord can produce a heating assessment, or the figure on their Healthy Homes compliance statement, that confirms the heater meets the required capacity for the room.

What to do if it is not in place

4 steps
Run the Tenancy Services heating assessment tool for your living room.
Save the result.
Email your landlord or property manager.
State the required heating capacity (from the tool), what is currently installed, and ask for the gap to be closed.
If they do not act, serve a 14 day notice to remedy.
Use the Tenancy Services template.
If the deadline passes, apply to the Tenancy Tribunal.
The Tribunal can order the landlord to install adequate heating and to compensate you for the breach.

Compliance status

All private rentals were required to meet the heating standard by 1 July 2025. Boarding houses have been compliant since 1 July 2021, and Kāinga Ora and registered Community Housing Providers since 1 July 2024. There is no remaining grace period.

Common exemptions

A small number of exemptions exist, mainly for properties where it is physically impossible to install heating that meets the standard (for example, certain heritage buildings, or rooms with structural constraints). Exemptions have to be claimed by the landlord and supported by evidence; the burden is not on you to prove the property is not exempt. For the full list, see Tenancy Services on Healthy Homes exemptions.

The other four standards

Sources

This page summarises the heating standard as published by Tenancy Services and the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. For the authoritative wording, see Tenancy Services on the heating 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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