Healthy Homes Assessment Eastbourne

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Eastbourne rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must 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 assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements to be done, and provide a report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for an Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Eastbourne, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve 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 because of illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for 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 increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it is probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will test all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Eastbourne

Eastbourne rental properties require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it might need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Eastbourne

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain at an open angle in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Eastbourne

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, as well as making an easier task to allow the home to keep the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part of 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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Eastbourne Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Eastbourne

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standards 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 myriad of things to be able to examine during the home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental property home evaluation.