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 of July 2021? Landlords must ensure that 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 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 and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be done, and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Eastbourne, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Eastbourne rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Eastbourne rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Eastbourne

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the home is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will inspect the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Eastbourne

Rental properties in Eastbourne need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it could require an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Eastbourne

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Eastbourne

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy for the household to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Eastbourne Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor 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 to the Healthy Homes Standards in Eastbourne include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Eastbourne for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over in a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home assessment.