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? Landlords now have to ensure their Eastbourne rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully certified to evaluate 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 work must be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy contract as 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 Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Eastbourne, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Eastbourne rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Eastbourne rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Eastbourne

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within the house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the household is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Eastbourne

Rental properties in Eastbourne require a reliable source of heat that can heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it could need an update to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Eastbourne

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, but remain closed to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Eastbourne

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

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

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor 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

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

Eastbourne Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically what you don’t see that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps prevent 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

Areas of rental properties that are impacted 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 many concerns to be able to examine in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental properties house assessment.