Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Victoria

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Mount Victoria rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties 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 evaluate your rental property to 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 the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified for 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, 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 of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an house evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research indicates that rental homes are more 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 homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Mount Victoria rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

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 Mount Victoria rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Mount Victoria Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from your house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Mount Victoria

Mount Victoria rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it requirements to have the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it could need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air will be easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Mount Victoria

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier to allow the home to hold 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 gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist 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 remainder area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside 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 should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mount Victoria

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Victoria include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.