Healthy Homes Assessment Eastbourne

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? The landlords are now required to ensure their Eastbourne 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 compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be done and provide the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely certified for each of 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or incorrect 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 person who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home inspection performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Eastbourne, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Eastbourne rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Eastbourne rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Eastbourne

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A humid home costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of the house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being houses

Heating Eastbourne

Eastbourne rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living space to at least 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 well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Eastbourne

Every living space of a rental home must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Eastbourne

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes more easy for the home to keep heat.

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

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

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Eastbourne Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also helps 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 Eastbourne

The areas of rental property that are affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Eastbourne include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Eastbourne for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over during an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property home evaluation.