Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 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 rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Highbury, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Highbury rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Highbury rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Highbury Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of your home need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the house heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Highbury

Rental properties in Highbury need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, then it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Highbury

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dry air is more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Highbury

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes an easier task to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• 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 the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Highbury

Rental property areas affected with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Highbury include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in the home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.