Healthy Homes Assessment Kingston

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Kingston rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas 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 is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. requirements to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified to assess both 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on 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 rent the property in New Zealand and Kingston, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Kingston rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Kingston rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Kingston Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingston

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A damp home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your house require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the household heats 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.

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being houses

Heating Kingston

Kingston rental properties should have a permanent heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it requirements to include the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kingston

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising how dry air will be much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and do not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight requirements at least to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Kingston

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, as well as making more easy to allow the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

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 is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingston

Property rental areas that are affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kingston include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingston for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.