Healthy Homes Assessment Newtown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Newtown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully qualified to evaluate 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Newtown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Newtown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have an home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Newtown, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Newtown rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

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

Start now and call about the Newtown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Newtown

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out within the house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will test every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Newtown

Newtown rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Newtown

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air will be less difficult to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Newtown

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make more easy to the home to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Newtown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside 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 to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Newtown

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Newtown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Newtown for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.