Healthy Homes Assessment Kingston

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Kingston 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 fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of 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 incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Kingston, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Kingston rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Kingston rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Kingston Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingston

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within your house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building as the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Kingston

Rental properties in Kingston require a reliable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the 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 be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for 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 consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it could require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Kingston

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside while remaining closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Kingston

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make it easier for the household to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingston Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 with the Healthy Homes Standard in Kingston include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingston for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

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