Healthy Homes Assessment Kingston

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Kingston rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals 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 the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Kingston, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Kingston rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Kingston rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Kingston Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingston

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A humid house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the house warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Kingston

Rental properties in Kingston need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, 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 health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as a heat pump, then it might just need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kingston

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dry air is easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Kingston

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to allow the house to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kingston Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also assists 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 Kingston

Rental property areas affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kingston include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingston for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today and book your rental property home assessment.