Healthy Homes Assessment Lower Hutt

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that 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 renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which requirements to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Lower Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Lower Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting 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 needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is completed, and is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Lower Hutt, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Lower Hutt rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Lower Hutt rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lower Hutt

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your home require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for healthy houses

Heating Lower Hutt

Rental properties in Lower Hutt need to have a stable 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 outlook.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it could need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Lower Hutt

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air will be easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and don’t need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Lower Hutt

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make more easy to allow the house to retain heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Lower Hutt Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Lower Hutt

Rental property areas affected with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Lower Hutt include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lower Hutt for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.