Healthy Homes Assessment Wadestown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Wadestown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks which needs to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

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Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Wadestown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to note that landlords who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Wadestown, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Wadestown rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Wadestown rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Wadestown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wadestown

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A damp house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Wadestown

Wadestown rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might just require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wadestown

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding how dry air will be less difficult to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs at least open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Wadestown

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the household to keep the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Wadestown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wadestown

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Wadestown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wadestown for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property house evaluation.