Healthy Homes Assessment Eastbourne

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Eastbourne rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely 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 and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. requirements to be completed, and offer the report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on an Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when 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.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and request a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Eastbourne, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Eastbourne rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

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

Get started now and contact us about the Eastbourne Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Eastbourne

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A humid house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit of the house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the household warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being homes

Heating Eastbourne

Eastbourne rental properties should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it needs to include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just need an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Eastbourne

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Eastbourne

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes more easy to the house to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, better 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Eastbourne Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent 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 Eastbourne

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Eastbourne for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for during an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental property house evaluation.