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 are now required to ensure that their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

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

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on the Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and request an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Highbury, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Highbury rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Highbury rental properties.

Start now and call about having 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 money and energy.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Highbury

Highbury rental properties require a reliable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 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 check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it requirements to be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it might need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Highbury

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air is less difficult to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Highbury

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making it easier to allow the household to keep heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the 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 by The Healthy Homes Standard in Highbury include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for in a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to book your rental property home assessment.