Healthy Homes Assessment Thorndon

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Thorndon rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and 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 that requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to note that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment done for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Thorndon, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Thorndon rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Thorndon rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Thorndon Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Thorndon

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A humid home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements 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 the home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine the windows and doors 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 to ensure healthy homes

Heating Thorndon

Thorndon rental properties require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it may need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Thorndon

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dry air will be much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Thorndon

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, as well as making it easier for the household to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Thorndon Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Thorndon

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through the Healthy Homes Standard in Thorndon include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Thorndon for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check when conducting a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to book your rental property home assessment.