Heating Requirements for NZ Rentals: The Healthy Homes Standard Explained
The Healthy Homes Heating Standard is one of the more technically complex of the 5 standards. It requires a fixed heater with enough capacity to heat the main living room to 18°C, but what "enough capacity" means depends on the size and thermal properties of the room. Here is what you need to know.
The Basic Requirement
Under Regulation 7 of the Healthy Homes Standards, rental properties must have a fixed heater in the main living room that:
- Is capable of heating the room to at least 18°C
- Is permanently installed (not a portable heater)
- Is in good working order
The required heating capacity in kilowatts is calculated based on the size and thermal characteristics of the main living room — specifically, its floor area, ceiling height, and the number and type of windows. MBIE provides a formula and an online heating assessment tool on the Tenancy Services website.
What Counts as a Compliant Heater?
Compliant fixed heaters include:
- Heat pump (most common — efficient and effective)
- Wood burner or pellet fire (if properly installed and in good condition)
- Flued gas heater (permanently installed, not portable)
- Electric panel heaters or radiant heaters that are fixed to the wall
What does NOT count:
- Portable electric heaters (fan heaters, oil column heaters)
- Unflued gas heaters (produce moisture and combustion gases — also a health hazard)
- Open fireplaces without adequate heat output
- A heater in an adjacent room (the standard requires a heater in the main living room specifically)
Heat Pumps: The Most Common Solution
For most NZ landlords, a heat pump is the practical solution. They are energy efficient, provide both heating and cooling, and have a long lifespan. A mid-range heat pump for a typical NZ living room costs $2,000-3,500 supply and installed.
When choosing a heat pump, check that its rated heating capacity meets or exceeds the calculated requirement for your room. A 2.5kW heat pump is suitable for a small well-insulated room; larger rooms or rooms with poor insulation may need 3.5kW-5.0kW or more.
Calculating the Required Heating Capacity
The required heating capacity is calculated using MBIE's formula, which takes into account:
- The floor area of the main living room
- Ceiling height
- Window area (single vs double glazed)
- Whether the room has adequate insulation
- The climate zone (NZ has 3 zones for this purpose)
MBIE's online calculator is at tenancy.govt.nz. Input the room measurements and it tells you the minimum kW required. Use this to verify that an existing heater meets the standard, or to size a new installation correctly.
Compliance Deadline
All private rental properties must have met the heating standard by 1 July 2025. If your property does not have a compliant fixed heater, you are currently in breach.
Special Cases
Open plan living areas: If the kitchen and living area are combined in an open plan space, the required heating capacity is calculated for the combined area.
Multi-storey properties: The standard applies to the main living room only — not every room in the house. Bedrooms are not required to have fixed heaters (though this is good practice).
Properties in warm climates: Even in warmer parts of NZ, the standard applies. All properties must have a fixed heater capable of reaching 18°C in the main living room.
Recording Compliance
The Healthy Homes compliance statement in the tenancy agreement must confirm the heating standard is met. Record the heater type, model, rated capacity, and location. If you have had a heating assessment done, keep a copy.
Tracking Healthy Homes compliance across multiple properties — including which ones have heat pumps, their service dates, and when compliance was last verified — is one of those admin tasks that is easy to fall behind on without a proper system. RentManager lets you record compliance details per property and flag when they need review.