Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Victoria

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Mount Victoria rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days 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 can assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely qualified to assess 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person 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 current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have an house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Mount Victoria rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Mount Victoria rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Mount Victoria Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the house need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Mount Victoria

Rental properties in Mount Victoria should have a permanent heating source that can heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it might just require a top up to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

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

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Mount Victoria

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to the house to keep the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the interior 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 stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mount Victoria

The areas of rental property that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Victoria include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check during the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

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