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Remember it is against the law to knowingly rent out a property that is contaminated with meth. 

What do the New Regulations Set Out?

The regulations set out what you need to do if a rental property is contaminated with meth, including the maximum acceptable and maximum inhabitable thresholds.

There are now three clear levels of meth to be aware of: 

If the meth level is:

• 15.0 µg/100 cm² or under the property is not contaminated
• 15.1 µg/100 cm² to 30.0 µg/100 cm² the property is contaminated and will need to be decontaminated. 
• 30.1 µg/100 cm² or above the property is considered uninhabitable.

Testing for Meth

There are two types of testing: screening assessments and detailed testing.

Screening Assessments

These assessments test for meth residue and its level. They can be carried out by tenants, landlords, or professionals at any time, as long as approved testing methods are used and carried out correctly.

If the results show that the levels are 15.0 µg/100 cm² or under, the property is not deemed to be contaminated and you do not need to take any further action. 

Detailed Testing 

Detailed testing confirms the level, location, and required action. 

As a landlord, detailed testing needs to be carried out if: 

• the Police or a local Council notifies them that meth has likely been manufactured on the property, or
• a valid screening assessment carried out by any person shows that the property is contaminated (at least one area where meth residue levels are above 15µg/100cm²), and the landlord is made aware of these results.

Detailed testing must be taken out by a qualified professional.  

You must provide the correct notice to your tenants before a contractor or you carry out either tests and you must provide the tenants with the results within 7 days of receiving them. 

Decontamination 

If the levels are 15.1 µg/100 cm² to 30.0 µg/100 cm² then property is contaminated and the affected areas will need to be decontaminated so levels return to  15.0 µg/100 cm² or under.

Tenants are not required to move out when the property is being decontaminated. 

As a landlord:

• You can carry out the decontamination yourself or hire a professional. This can’t be the same person who performed the screen testing.
• Decontamination must follow the process prescribed in the Residential Tenancies (Managing Methamphetamine Contamination) Regulations 2026.
• Items such as carpets, curtains, and soft furnishings provided by the landlord must be HEPA filter-vacuumed and steam cleaned if they can be cleaned.
• If items cannot be cleaned, they must be removed and replaced.

You should discuss possible relocation arrangements whilst the work is being carried out and any rent reductions. These decisions should be recorded in writing.

However if there is evidence to suggest that the tenant caused the contamination you may be able to apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to seek termination. 

If the levels of meth are 30.1 µg/100 cm² or above then property is uninhabitable and must be decontaminated until the levels return to  15.0 µg/100 cm² or under.

As the property is uninhabitable, under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, both the landlord and tenants have the option of ending the tenancy 

Tenants can give two days’ notice when terminating in this way, if they are not responsible for the contamination.

As a landlord:

• You can give seven days’ notice to end the tenancy if you are not responsible for the contamination.
• If the tenant does not want to end the tenancy, relocation expenses should be discussed and an agreement recorded in writing.
• You must deal with any abandoned tenant goods.

The only exception is if the contamination is in a ‘remote and inconsequential’ part of the property. This is an area physically separate from the rest of the property or that can be closed off to prevent the spread of contamination, and that won’t affect the property’s use as a residence (for example, it could not be the kitchen).

In this case:

Tenants cannot end the tenancy immediately but can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to request termination.

As a landlord:

• You must reduce the rent to reflect the loss of access to the area.
• You cannot end the tenancy immediately but can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to request termination.

Once the property has been decontaminated and tested again to ensure that the levels are within the regulation, the tenants can return or the property can be leased to new tenants. 

How to Protect Yourself as a Landlord 

Testing and decontaminating meth can be lengthy and costly. However, you can protect yourself by:

• Checking your landlord insurance policy to see what is covered in relation to methamphetamine contamination. Expenses to consider include testing, cleaning, decontaminating, replacing items, and potential loss of rent.
• While you do not have to test for contamination between tenancies (unless advised by the Police or Council), doing so can help determine when contamination occurred if it is discovered later.
• Using qualified professionals and regulated methods so you don’t have to repeat tests or decontamination processes at additional cost.

These regulations are intended to clarify this area of rental properties and provide a straightforward way to manage contamination.

If you are a landlord and have questions about your landlord insurance policy, get in touch with our team: 0800 346 482  finance@financehub.co.nz