Healthy Homes Assessment Kingston

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas 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 satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be completed and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with 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 as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified to evaluate both 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, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house 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 matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Kingston, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Kingston rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control in Kingston rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingston

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A humid home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within your house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the household warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Kingston

Kingston rental properties must have a fixed heating source which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kingston

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside and remain set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Kingston

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task to the home to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kingston Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop 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 install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingston

The areas of rental property that are affected with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Kingston include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingston for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check when conducting an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.