Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be done, and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to note that landlords with multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request an home assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Highbury, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Highbury rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control on Highbury rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Highbury Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside households. A cold house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the home need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Highbury

Rental properties in Highbury should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to include an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Highbury

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air will be more easy to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight needs at least to open to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Highbury

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes more easy to allow the house to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Highbury

Property rental areas that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Highbury include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check when conducting an house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.