Methamphetamine Testing Rules for Rentals Gazetted, Take Effect April 2026

Clear, science-based rules for managing methamphetamine contamination in rental properties have now been formally Gazetted, ending years of uncertainty for landlords and tenants, Associate Minister of Housing Tama Potaka announced today.

The new regulations will come into force on 16 April 2026, providing the rental sector with nationally consistent standards for testing, remediation, and tenancy decisions.

"For too long, landlords and tenants have faced confusion, inconsistent testing practices, and, at times, disproportionate responses," Mr Potaka said.

"These regulations set clear, evidence-based thresholds and processes so everyone knows where they stand."

Clear Contamination Thresholds Introduced

Under the regulations, a rental property will be deemed contaminated if methamphetamine residue exceeds 15 micrograms per 100 square centimetres (15µg/100cm²). Properties must be decontaminated to at or below that level.

Where contamination exceeds 30µg/100cm², landlords and tenants will have the option to end the tenancy through an expedited process.

The framework also sets out defined circumstances in which landlords must engage qualified professional testers where there is evidence of contamination. Testing and decontamination processes must align with key elements of New Zealand Standard 8510:2017, ensuring consistency with nationally recognised best practice.

Science-Led and Evidence-Based Reform

The regulations are informed by expert advice from the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science and former Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor Sir Peter Gluckman, whose 2018 report significantly reshaped understanding of health risks associated with meth residue in homes.

That advice found that previous testing regimes often used thresholds that were far lower than what evidence suggested posed health risks — leading to costly decontamination and tenancy disruption even in cases of minimal exposure.

The new framework adopts a precautionary but pragmatic approach, balancing tenant health protections with proportional regulatory response.

Ending Costly Overreactions

In recent years, inconsistent private testing standards and varying decontamination benchmarks have resulted in:

• Significant remediation costs for landlords

• Displacement of tenants from properties later deemed low risk

• Uncertainty in Tenancy Tribunal proceedings

• Insurance and liability disputes

By codifying clear thresholds and mandatory processes, the regulations aim to reduce unnecessary testing, prevent inflated remediation costs, and minimise avoidable tenancy terminations.

Certainty for the Rental Sector

"With the regulations now Gazetted and coming into force on 16 April, the sector has certainty and clearer rules to follow," Mr Potaka said.

The transition period before April 2026 is designed to allow landlords, property managers, insurers, and testing providers time to update contracts, policies, and compliance practices.

Detailed operational guidance will be made available through MBIE's Tenancy Services website to support implementation.

The move marks one of the most significant regulatory resets in the rental housing sector in recent years, establishing a single national standard after nearly a decade of debate over how meth contamination should be measured and managed.