An openable window, and a fan vented outside,
in every wet room.
Every NZ rental needs an openable window or door in each habitable room, plus extractor fans vented outside in the kitchen and bathroom.
What the standard requires
Every habitable room must have at least one window, door, or skylight that opens to the outside, and the opening must be capable of being fixed in the open position. Habitable rooms include bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens.
Kitchens and bathrooms also have to have an extractor fan that vents to the outside. A fan that pulls air into the ceiling cavity does not meet the standard. The fan has to have a minimum extraction rate set by the regulations, and bathroom fans in particular need to be sized to handle the room volume.
Tenancy Services publishes a free ventilation tool you can use to check whether the fan in your kitchen or bathroom meets the size requirement.
What to look for in your flat
- An openable window or door in every bedroom, living room, dining room, and kitchen.
- A mechanism (catch, stay, or arm) that holds the window open without you holding it.
- An extractor fan in the kitchen, vented outside (not into the ceiling).
- An extractor fan in the bathroom, vented outside.
- Fans that switch on and obviously move air when you turn them on.
What to do if it is not in place
Compliance status
Private rentals were required to meet the ventilation standard by 1 July 2025. There is no remaining grace period for new or renewed tenancies.
Common exemptions
Limited exemptions apply where ventilation cannot physically be installed (for example, an internal bathroom with no external wall, where ducting is not practical). The landlord has to claim and justify an exemption; ask for the evidence if your landlord refers to one. 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.
Moisture and drainage
Working guttering, downpipes, and stormwater drainage, plus a ground moisture barrier where there is an enclosed sub-floor.
Draught stopping
Unreasonable gaps in walls, ceilings, windows, floors, and doors blocked so they do not cause noticeable draughts.
Sources
This page summarises the ventilation standard as published by Tenancy Services and the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. For the authoritative wording, see Tenancy Services on the ventilation standard.
Last updated . Flatchat is not your lawyer; if your tenancy is heading to the Tribunal, talk to Tenancy Services or a qualified advocate.
See what tenants said.
Before you sign.
Damp and mould are downstream of bad ventilation. The Condition rating on Flatchat reflects how a flat actually behaves in winter, not the day of the viewing.