Healthy Homes Assessment Lower Hutt

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Lower Hutt rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified 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 to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work required. needs to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully qualified 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 or renewed contract is signed on 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, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on the Lower Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Lower Hutt, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Lower Hutt rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

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

Get started now and contact us about the Lower Hutt Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lower Hutt

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure as the household warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Lower Hutt

Lower Hutt rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main 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 well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the 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 mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as a heat pump, then it could need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Lower Hutt

Every living space of a rental house must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air will be less difficult to heat and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

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

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Lower Hutt

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task to allow the home to retain the heat.

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

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

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

Lower Hutt Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically not apparent that it could become a major issue and cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Lower Hutt

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through the Healthy Homes Standard in Lower Hutt include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lower Hutt for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine during the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.