Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Victoria

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Mount Victoria rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must 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 will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks which needs to be done and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely certified for 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to note that landlords with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and request a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Mount Victoria rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in 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 Control in Mount Victoria rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Mount Victoria Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A humid home costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, 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 gap or hole and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from your home need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the household warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will test all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being houses

Heating Mount Victoria

Rental properties in Mount Victoria need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it could need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay closed to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Mount Victoria

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to allow the home to hold the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing 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

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

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

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.