Healthy Homes Assessment Newlands

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 now have to ensure that their Newlands rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements 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 healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully certified for each of 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 brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Newlands rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Newlands rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Newlands, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Newlands rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Newlands rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Newlands Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Newlands

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure as the house is heated and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Newlands

Rental properties in Newlands must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it requirements to have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it may need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Newlands

Every living space of a rental house must have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air is much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Newlands

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and will also make it easier to allow the house to retain warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure 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 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Newlands Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Newlands

Rental property areas affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Newlands include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Newlands for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check during an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house evaluation.