Healthy Homes Assessment Wellington Central

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Wellington Central 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 in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess 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 assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. needs to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Wellington Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Wellington Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Wellington Central, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the quality of Wellington Central rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping for Wellington Central rental properties.

Start now and call about the Wellington Central Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wellington Central

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A cold house will cost more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out from the house need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the household warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Wellington Central

Wellington Central rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it could need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Wellington Central

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Wellington Central

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to the household to keep the heat.

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

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

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

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

Wellington Central Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wellington Central

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Wellington Central include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wellington Central for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties home assessment.