Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Health Act 1956

Regulations

120C: Regulations as to housing improvement and overcrowding

You could also call this:

"Rules to keep homes safe, healthy, and not too crowded"

The law says regulations can be made to ensure houses are safe and healthy for you to live in. These regulations are subject to the Building Act 2004. They can cover things like how houses are built, how much space is around them, and how clean they are. You need to have proper water, bathing, and cooking facilities in your house. The law also says regulations can be made to stop too many people living in one house.

Regulations can say how many people can live in a house, depending on the number of rooms and the space available. If someone breaks these rules, they can get a fine of up to $500. The rules are in place to keep you and your family safe and healthy in your home.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM308431.

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Part 6Regulations

120CRegulations as to housing improvement and overcrowding

  1. Subject to the Building Act 2004, for the purpose of prescribing standards of fitness with which any dwellinghouse, whether erected before or after the commencement of this section, must comply, regulations made under this Act may make provision for or with respect to—

  2. the construction, condition, and situation of dwellinghouses, and the space about dwellinghouses:
    1. the drainage, sanitation, ventilation, lighting, and cleanliness of dwellinghouses and of the land on which dwellinghouses are situated:
      1. the repair of dwellinghouses:
        1. the provision in respect of dwellinghouses of a proper supply of potable water and hot water, of bathing, laundry, cooking, and food storage facilities, and of sanitary conveniences:
          1. the protection of dwellinghouses from damp, excessive noise, and heat loss:
            1. the dimensions, cubical content, and height of rooms of dwellinghouses.

              1. Regulations may also be made under this Act for the purpose of preventing overcrowding in dwellinghouses.

              2. Without limiting the general power conferred by subsection (2), regulations may be made pursuant to that subsection for all or any of the following purposes:

              3. prescribing the number of persons permitted to reside in dwellinghouses, having regard to the number of rooms, the amount of floor space, air space, or ventilation thereof, and the amenities provided:
                1. prescribing methods of calculating the number of persons, the number of rooms, and the amount of the floor space, air space, or ventilation thereof:
                  1. prescribing offences in respect of the contravention of or non-compliance with any regulations made under that subsection, and the amounts of fines that may be imposed in respect of any such offences, which fines shall be an amount not exceeding $500.

                    Notes
                    • Section 120C: inserted, on , by section 7(1) of the Health Amendment Act 1979 (1979 No 64).
                    • Section 120C(1): amended, on , by section 414 of the Building Act 2004 (2004 No 72).
                    • Section 120C(1): amended, on , by section 92(1) of the Building Act 1991 (1991 No 150).
                    • Section 120C(1)(d): amended, on , by section 8 of the Health (Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2007 (2007 No 92).