Healthy Homes Assessment Wilton

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Wilton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 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 is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work required. requirements to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Wilton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Wilton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe 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.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Wilton, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Wilton rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Wilton rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Wilton Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wilton

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into the home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the household warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Wilton

Rental properties in Wilton need to have a stable heating source which can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it might need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Wilton

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air is less difficult to heat and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or skylight needs at least to open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Wilton

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier to the house to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Wilton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wilton

Rental property areas affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Wilton include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wilton for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house evaluation.