43639 (2025). Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan to the Associate Minister of Housing

43639 (2025). Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan to the Associate Minister of Housing: In the event of an inconsistency between a Healthy Homes Standards compliance statement and a Tenancy Services property inspection report, which one, if any, takes precedence?

Hon Tama Potaka: Landlords of private rentals are responsible for ensuring their rental property complies with Healthy Homes Standards throughout the tenancy, not just at the beginning. All new, renewed or varied tenancy agreements must include a signed statement with details of the property’s current level of compliance with the standards, and the landlord is responsible for the accuracy of the compliance statement. If the property is not compliant with Healthy Homes Standards and the landlord and tenant cannot reach agreement on what needs to happen, tenants can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to have this remedied. Where the Tenancy Compliance and Investigations team (TCIT) identifies potential non-compliance following an inspection, this will be discussed with the landlord. Appropriate steps will then be taken to ensure the property meets the requirements of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 and the healthy homes standards. Steps TCIT can take include (but are not limited to) formal warnings, enforceable undertakings, improvement notices and infringement notices. In the most serious cases, the team may decide to take proceedings against a landlord in the Tenancy Tribunal.