Healthy Homes Assessment Eastbourne

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Eastbourne 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 completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be done and provide a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can 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 may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $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 whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to note that landlords with multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Eastbourne, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improving the standard of Eastbourne rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Eastbourne rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Eastbourne Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Eastbourne

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the household warms and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Eastbourne

Eastbourne rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it could need an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Eastbourne

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dry air is easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Eastbourne

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy to allow the household to keep the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Eastbourne Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Eastbourne

Rental property areas affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Eastbourne include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Eastbourne for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for in an house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.