Healthy Homes Checklist Auckland

What the Healthy Homes Standards Cover

The Healthy Homes Standards cover five main areas: heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping. In a real property, those areas often connect to practical building details such as extractor fan ducting, gutter connections, surface water fall, subfloor ventilation, insulation condition and gaps around external openings.

Heating Checklist

• Check whether there is fixed heating in the main living room.
• Check whether the heating appears operational and suitable for further confirmation.
• Keep installation information, manuals, invoices and compliance records where available.
• Confirm whether heating capacity needs calculation or specialist confirmation.

Insulation Checklist

• Check ceiling insulation where access is safe and available.
• Check underfloor insulation where subfloor access is safe and available.
• Look for old, damaged, compressed, displaced or missing insulation.
• Record access limitations, stored items, obstructions or unsafe access.
• Keep insulation certificates, invoices or installer records where available.

Ventilation Checklist

• Check openable windows, external doors and skylights in liveable spaces.
• Check whether openable windows can remain fixed open.
• Check whether bathroom extractor fans are present and operating.
• Check whether bathroom fan ducting appears to discharge to the exterior.
• Check whether the kitchen has a rangehood or extractor fan.
• Look for disconnected ducting, condensation, mould-like marks or poor airflow.

Moisture and Drainage Checklist

• Check gutters for blockage, damage, corrosion or overflow staining.
• Check downpipes are connected and direct water away from the dwelling.
• Check visible drains and surface water flow around the house.
• Check whether paving, paths or landscaping falls toward the building.
• Look for dampness, ponding, poor surface falls or evidence of water collecting near the dwelling.

Ground Moisture Barrier Checklist

• Check whether an enclosed subfloor is present.
• Check whether a ground moisture barrier is visible where access allows.
• Look for damp soil, ponding, debris or poor airflow under the house.
• Record areas where insulation, stored items, tight access or unsafe conditions restrict inspection.
• Recommend further assessment where subfloor moisture risk is indicated.

Draught Stopping Checklist

• Check visible gaps around external doors.
• Check window seals and joinery gaps.
• Look for holes through floors, walls or ceilings.
• Check unused fireplaces, vents or redundant openings.
• Consider whether gaps or holes may cause noticeable draughts.

Common Mistakes Landlords Make

• Assuming an extractor fan is compliant without checking where it discharges.
• Not checking fan ducting in the roof space.
• Ignoring blocked gutters, disconnected downpipes or poor surface drainage.
• Assuming old insulation still meets current expectations.
• Not keeping records of work, installer documents or compliance evidence.
• Waiting for a tenant complaint before checking dampness, ventilation or draught issues.

When to Book a Healthy Homes Assessment

A Healthy Homes assessment is useful before a new tenancy, property management handover, rental property purchase, sale of a rental property, remedial work planning or when visible dampness, ventilation, drainage or draught issues are present.

Frequently Asked Questions