The new regulations set out: 

• the maximum acceptable and inhabitable thresholds for meth residue levels
• guidelines for when a property must be decontaminated
• guidelines for when a tenancy can be ended due to meth contamination
• guidelines on how testing and decontamination needs to take place
• landlords’ responsibilities for managing meth contamination
• guidelines on dealing with goods abandoned by tenants in contaminated properties.

Until these new regulations come into force, landlords and tenants must continue to follow current guidelines on meth contamination.

Guidelines on meth contamination

Maximum acceptable levels of meth residue

Contaminated properties

A property is contaminated if any part of it has meth residue levels above 15µg/100cm² (micrograms per hundred square centimetres). These parts of the property must be decontaminated until their meth residue levels are 15µg/100cm² or less.

Contamination is determined on a room-by-room basis. For example, if a property’s bedroom is above 15µg/100cm² but the kitchen is below 15µg/100cm², only the bedroom needs to be decontaminated.

Uninhabitable properties

If any part of the property is tested and found to have meth residue levels above 30µg/100cm², the property is uninhabitable. 30µg/100cm² is the maximum inhabitable level as set out in legislation.

In this situation, under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, landlords and tenants have the option of ending the tenancy unless these levels of contamination are found only in a ‘remote and inconsequential’ part of the property.

• Landlords can give 7 days’ notice when terminating a tenancy in this way, if they are not at fault for the contamination.
• Tenants can give 2 days’ notice when terminating a tenancy in this way, if they are not at fault for the contamination.

Parts of the property are ‘remote and inconsequential’ only if:

• they are physically separate from the rest of the property, or can be closed off in a way that stops the spread of contamination to the rest of the property, and
• the rest of the property can be reasonably used as a residence without that area.

If only a ‘remote and inconsequential’ part of the property is found to be uninhabitable:

• The rent must reduce, to reflect the loss of access to that area.
• Neither landlords nor tenants can immediately end the tenancy. However, either party may apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to request termination.

The Tribunal may then decide to end the tenancy if it would be unreasonable to require the landlord to decontaminate that area, or unreasonable to require the tenant to stay in the tenancy (even at reduced rent).

Testing for meth

Screening assessments

Screening assessments detect the presence of meth residue and show if more detailed testing is needed.

Any person can carry out a screening assessment for a property at any time. This includes tenants and landlords, as well as professionals. For a screening assessment to be valid, it must use an approved testing method and follow its instructions correctly.

Landlords who carry out screening assessments must continue to follow notification and disclosure requirements under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986:

• Landlords must provide the correct notice to tenants before they or their contractors enter the property.
• Landlords must notify all tenants of the results within 7 days of receiving these.
• Landlords who fail to meet their obligations may be liable for exemplary damages of up to $7,200. In some situations, pecuniary penalties of up to $50,000 may apply.

Detailed testing

Detailed testing confirms how much meth contamination is present in a property, identifies where this is located, and concludes whether decontamination is needed.

Landlords are required to arrange for detailed meth testing 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.

Only qualified professionals can perform detailed testing. These professionals must not be the same persons as those who carried out the screening assessment. They must also not be the same persons who will perform decontamination work for the same property.

Landlords who carry out detailed testing must continue to follow notification and disclosure requirements under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986:

• Landlords must provide the correct notice to tenants before they or their contractors enter the property.
• Landlords must notify all tenants of the results within 7 days of receiving these.
• Landlords who fail to meet their obligations may be liable for exemplary damages of up to $7,200. In some situations, pecuniary penalties of up to $50,000 may apply.

Landlords are otherwise not required to arrange for detailed meth testing between tenancies. Landlords can arrange for these tests if they think these are needed.

Testing methods

Only some approved testing methods can be used for a valid screening assessment or detailed testing.

Approved testing methods include:

• individual sampling
• laboratory composite testing
• validated screening test kits (in line with the New Zealand Standard 8510:2017, as modified by the new regulations).

Testing methods that are not approved include:

• field composite tests, which combine swabs from more than one location and cannot identify whether specific locations are contaminated
• unvalidated testing kits, which may react to other substances, can be affected by poor sampling techniques, or can give inconsistent results.

Before you buy a screening test or hire someone to undertake meth testing, you should confirm that the testing will meet regulatory requirements.

Screening assessments and detailed testing must both be completed in line with the New Zealand Standard 8510:2017, as modified by the new regulations.

Testing and decontamination of methamphetamine-contaminated properties – New Zealand Standards(external link)

Decontamination

Landlords must decontaminate areas or spaces in a property if their meth residue levels are over 15µg/100cm². Landlords can either decontaminate these spaces themselves, or hire a professional to manage the decontamination.

Landlords must provide the correct notice before they or their contractors enter a property to decontaminate affected spaces.

Decontamination must follow the process prescribed in the Residential Tenancies (Managing Methamphetamine Contamination) Regulations 2026 (the Regulations). This is based on Section 4 of New Zealand Standard 8510:2017 Testing and decontamination of methamphetamine-contaminated properties, with the consideration that 15μg/100cm² is the maximum acceptable level of meth residue.

Note that the Regulations provide some exceptions to New Zealand Standard 8510:2017. Landlords may need to clarify with a professional that testing and decontamination needs to be completed according to the Regulations.

Some items must also be managed according to specific legal requirements:

• Light fittings and installed heaters should be cleaned as thoroughly as possible in accordance with New Zealand Standard 8510:2017, as modified by the Regulations.
• If they are capable of being cleaned and are to remain in the property, all carpets, curtains and other soft furnishings must be HEPA filter-vacuumed and steam cleaned.
• Carpets, curtains and other soft furnishings that cannot be cleaned (such as couches or mattresses) must be removed from the property and replaced.

Tenants are not required to move out while decontamination is taking place. However, landlords and tenants should discuss possible relocation arrangements while the work is being done, along with any rent reductions. Any such agreements should be recorded in writing.

Tenants and landlords are free to choose how to manage personal goods as part of a decontamination process. Note that some items in contaminated properties may need to be decontaminated or removed to reduce the risk of re-contamination.

Testing and decontamination of methamphetamine-contaminated properties – New Zealand Standards(external link)

If you are not sure if you can decontaminate a property according to these standards and regulations, you should consider hiring a qualified professional to do so.

After decontamination is completed, a qualified professional must carry out detailed testing of the property again. This is to confirm that meth residue levels are no longer above 15µg/100cm². If levels are still above 15µg/100cm², additional rounds of decontamination and detailed testing need to take place.

Abandoned belongings

If a tenant has left behind any items or belongings in a contaminated property, the landlord must deal with these abandoned goods using the same processes in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The landlord should take any extra costs of decontamination and testing into account when dealing with these goods.

Abandoned goods

Landlords must factor the costs of testing and decontamination when determining whether abandoned goods are valuable enough to be stored. This is in addition to costs they may incur from transport, storage and sale. If the value of the goods is below these costs, the landlord can dispose of the goods.

Sometimes it is not possible to store, test or decontaminate some goods despite the landlord’s reasonable efforts. In these cases, the landlord should keep evidence of their efforts to store or decontaminate abandoned goods before disposing of them. The landlord can then produce this evidence in the event of a dispute.