Healthy Homes Assessment Eastbourne

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure 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 must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified for 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, if a new or renewed contract is signed on an Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified 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.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and request a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Eastbourne, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Eastbourne rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

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

Start now and call about the Eastbourne Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Eastbourne

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside homes. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your house need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building as the household warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Eastbourne

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

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source like an air conditioner, it might just require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Eastbourne

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Eastbourne

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make more easy to allow the home to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• 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 the 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 interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete 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 Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Eastbourne include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Eastbourne for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine in a home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, 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 a tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties home evaluation.