Landlords need reliable test results before deciding how to manage suspected meth contamination. New regulations took effect on 16 April 2026, replacing the earlier uncertainty about which threshold to use. The public resources below explain the rules without requiring you to request a guide.
Residue above 15 micrograms per 100 square centimetres (15µg/100cm²) means an affected area is contaminated and must be decontaminated to 15µg/100cm² or less. Above 30µg/100cm², the property is uninhabitable, subject to an exception for a remote and inconsequential area. The tenancy consequences depend on the circumstances; read Tenancy Services’ current guidelines before issuing any notice.
Routine testing between every tenancy is not mandatory. Detailed testing is required when Police or a council advises that manufacture is likely, or when a landlord is made aware of a valid screening result above 15µg/100cm². Follow the entry-notice requirements and give existing tenants the results within seven days of receiving them.
A screening assessment can be carried out by any person using an approved method correctly. Detailed testing must be done by a qualified professional who is independent of the person carrying out decontamination. Testing and cleanup follow NZS 8510:2017 as modified by the 2026 regulations.
A valid screening result above 15µg/100cm² requires a detailed assessment. Ask the provider to explain the sampling method, affected rooms and proposed work. After cleanup, detailed testing by a qualified professional must confirm that contamination is within the permitted level. See the testing and decontamination requirements.
Retain reports, photographs, notices and correspondence with contractors and tenants. Speak with your insurer about your particular policy before commissioning work or assuming costs are covered. An insurance condition and a statutory requirement may serve different purposes.
Contact Ray White Silverdale about property management using the form below, call 09 309 6868 or email silverdale.nz@raywhite.com. For a contamination assessment, use a suitably qualified testing professional.
Based on Tenancy Services guidance and the Residential Tenancies (Managing Methamphetamine Contamination) Regulations 2026. Guidance checked 14 October 2026.