Healthy Homes Assessment Newtown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Newtown 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 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 can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely certified to assess each of 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 contract is signed on a Newtown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Newtown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Newtown, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Newtown rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Newtown rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Newtown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Newtown

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the home is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Newtown

Newtown rental properties require a reliable heating source that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source like the heat pump, it might just need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Newtown

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dried air can be much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Newtown

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task for the household to hold warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Newtown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Newtown

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Newtown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Newtown for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in the house review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.