Healthy Homes Assessment Lower Hutt

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Lower Hutt rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties 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 will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under 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 as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Lower Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Lower Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

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

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Lower Hutt rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Lower Hutt rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Lower Hutt Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lower Hutt

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A humid home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out of your house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Lower Hutt

Rental properties in Lower Hutt must have a fixed heating source that can heat the main or largest living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need 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 under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it could require a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Lower Hutt

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding that dried air can be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements at least open to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Lower Hutt

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task for the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part 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.

Lower Hutt Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Lower Hutt

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Lower Hutt include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lower Hutt for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.