Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Victoria

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the 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 renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to 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 evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer a report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of 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’re completely independent assessors of 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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even 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 huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the quality of Mount Victoria rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Mount Victoria rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the household heats and cools, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Mount Victoria

Rental properties in Mount Victoria must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it could require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus do not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Mount Victoria

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making it easier to allow the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mount Victoria

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Mount Victoria include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over during an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property home assessment.