Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

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? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, 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 relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $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 liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Highbury, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Highbury rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Highbury Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A cold house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of your house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will test every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Highbury

Highbury rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to include the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it might need an update to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Highbury

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Highbury

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and will also make more easy to the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Highbury

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Highbury include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check in a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home 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 being in the wrong of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.