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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.ratemyflat.co.nz/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

The Healthy Homes Score (HHS) summarises how well a home meets the five Healthy Homes Standards in NZ legislation. Every home on ratemyflat has an overall score and individual scores for each of the standards.

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The five standards

The Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) sets five standards every rental must meet:
  1. Heating: Fixed heating sources and their capacity to heat the main living room.
  2. Insulation: Ceiling and underfloor insulation coverage and quality.
  3. Ventilation: Working extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, and openable windows.
  4. Moisture and drainage: Efficient drainage, guttering, and ground moisture barriers.
  5. Draught stopping: No unintentional gaps or holes in walls, ceilings, windows, and doors.

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Data sources

The score is dynamic — it shifts as new information arrives. It’s built from three sources:
  • Tenant reviews: The largest contributor. Current and former tenants provide ratings and detail about life in the home.
  • Verified documents: Information from official records such as Healthy Homes compliance statements, insulation certificates, and tenancy agreements.
  • Public records: LINZ (Land Information New Zealand) data, used to identify and map the home accurately.

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Weighting and verification

Not every contribution counts the same. Verified inputs carry more weight than unverified ones — both for reviews and for documents.
  • Verified reviews carry more weight: When a tenant proves they lived in the home (e.g. with a tenancy agreement), their review has a larger impact on the score.
  • Recent data matters more: The score reflects experiences over time, with weight on the current condition of the home.

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Scoring bands

Scores are surfaced as bands rather than raw numbers:
  • Good: The home likely meets or exceeds the Healthy Homes Standards based on available data.
  • Medium: Some issues are present, or some standards aren’t fully met.
  • Poor: The home likely fails one or more of the Healthy Homes Standards.
What the score isn’t A Healthy Homes Score is a guide based on aggregated data — not a substitute for a professional Healthy Homes inspection. Landlord behaviour can change, recent renovations may not yet show, and every tenant’s experience of a home is different.

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Contributing to a score

The score gets more accurate as more people contribute. Sign up to contribute reviews and verify the homes you’ve lived in. Your input helps the next person find a warmer, drier, safer home.