A new Healthy Homes Report has uncovered a startling trend: landlords lost 100% of Tenancy Tribunal cases involving Healthy Homes heating and ventilation standards.
The report, produced by from MiHT Home Energy Care, analysed 348 Tribunal decisions from across New Zealand and found that while landlords lost 73% of Healthy Homes claims overall, heating and ventilation cases were a complete clean sweep.
The financial impact was equally eye-opening. The average Tribunal award exceeded $4,150, the median award was $2,700, and the largest Healthy Homes award reached a staggering $31,000. Exemplary damages were also awarded in 61% of cases, with intentional breaches found in 27%.
Tribunal outcomes were often decided by paperwork, not the property itself.
Landlords who successfully defended claims almost always had detailed photos, communication records and Healthy Homes documentation to support their case.
Where landlords came unstuck, the common problem wasn’t necessarily a non-compliant property. More often, it was the inability to prove issues had been identified, acted on or communicated. Missing records repeatedly turned potentially defensible cases into costly losses.
The findings also send a clear message to property managers. The report notes that adjudicators increasingly expect a higher standard from professional managers than private landlords, particularly when known Healthy Homes issues have been identified but not followed through.
The report was based on every publicly available Healthy Homes Tribunal decision between January and May 2026.
