Healthy Homes Assessment Kingston

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Kingston rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. requirements to be done and provide the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is important to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Kingston, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Kingston rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

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

Begin now by calling about the Kingston Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingston

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the home warms and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Kingston

Kingston rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, then it must include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kingston

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising how dry air is more easy to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Kingston

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and it will make much easier to allow the home to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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, underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingston Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue that can cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingston

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kingston include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingston for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for when conducting a house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.