Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks which needs to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely 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

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Highbury, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Highbury rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Highbury rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Highbury Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A damp house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Highbury

Rental properties in Highbury need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to have an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Highbury

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air is much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Highbury

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords 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 need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the home to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside but 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 is about damp and water, it’s often what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Highbury

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Highbury include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property house evaluation.