Healthy Homes Assessment Kingston

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Kingston rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. needs to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely certified 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s important to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Kingston, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Kingston rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Kingston rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Kingston Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingston

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into the home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the structure when the home warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Kingston

Rental properties in Kingston should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the main or largest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Kingston

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Kingston

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make much easier for the household to retain the 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 the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kingston Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingston

Rental property areas affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Kingston include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingston for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over when conducting an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home assessment.