Healthy Homes Electrical Compliance: A Landlord's Checklist

The Healthy Homes Standards have been law since 2019, but a lot of landlords are still unsure what the electrical requirements actually are — especially because the standards cover several areas (heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture, draught stopping), and the electrical requirements are spread across a few of them.

Here’s a plain summary of what applies.

What the Healthy Homes Standards require electrically

Smoke alarms

This is the most visible electrical requirement. Every rental property must have:

Working smoke alarms — at least one on each level of the home, and within 3 metres of each bedroom door
Photoelectric alarms (not ionisation)
Battery longevity: Self-contained (battery) alarms must have a 10-year battery. Hard-wired alarms are also acceptable.
Alarms installed no earlier than 10 years before the first tenancy that commences after 1 July 2021

Practical note: Most older smoke alarms in South Auckland rentals are either ionisation type or have short-life batteries. These need replacing. The cheapest compliant option is a self-contained photoelectric alarm — no wiring required, just a fresh install. We can supply and install these in batches if you have multiple properties.

RCDs (Residual Current Devices)

RCDs are safety switches that cut power within milliseconds if a fault is detected — protecting against electrocution and electrical fires.

The Healthy Homes Standards don’t mandate RCDs directly. However:

The Electrical (Safety) Regulations 2010 require that all rental properties built after 2002 must have RCD protection on circuits serving wet areas (bathrooms, laundries).
Properties built before 2002 aren’t required to retrofit, but we strongly recommend it anyway — for your tenants’ safety and your liability exposure.
Some property managers now require RCDs as a condition of managing your property. Worth checking with yours.

A standard RCD installation on a residential switchboard typically costs $300–$800 depending on the number of circuits that need protection.

Heating — electrical requirements

The heating standard requires a fixed heating device capable of achieving 18°C in the main living area. If you’re meeting this with an electric panel heater or heat pump, the wiring must be adequate — a dedicated circuit is best practice for heat pumps.

If you’re adding a heat pump to comply, bring an electrician in during the installation, not after.

What doesn’t have a specific electrical requirement

Insulation — the insulation standard doesn’t require electrical work
Ventilation — the ventilation standard requires extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, but these are existing or new fittings, not new wiring (usually)
Draught stopping — no electrical component

What to actually do

Here’s a practical checklist:

1. Check all smoke alarms

Correct type (photoelectric)?
Correct position (within 3m of each bedroom door, one per level)?
Within 10 years of install?
Working (test with the button)?

2. Check the switchboard

Does it have RCDs? (Usually a button marked “Test” or “RCD” on the breakers)
If not, and the property was built after 2002, this needs addressing

3. Check any extractor fans

Are they actually connected and working?
Ducted to outside, not just recirculating?

4. Get a condition report

If you’re unsure about the state of the property’s electrical installation, get an electrician to assess it
This also documents that you took reasonable steps — relevant if there’s ever a dispute

Compliance dates

All rental properties were required to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards from:

1 July 2021 — for new or renewed tenancies
1 July 2024 — for all rental properties, including existing ongoing tenancies

If you haven’t addressed compliance yet, you’re overdue.

What we can do for landlords

We work with landlords across South Auckland regularly. Services include:

Smoke alarm supply and installation
RCD installation and switchboard upgrades
Electrical condition reports
Multi-property scheduling

If you have multiple properties, we can run them as a batch — one invoice, one job reference per property. Trade accounts available.

For a single property, just call or fill in the contact form and we’ll be in touch.

This guide is accurate as at early 2026. Regulations can change — check the Tenancy Services website (tenancy.govt.nz) for the current requirements, or call us if you’re unsure.