Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Victoria

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Mount Victoria rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to evaluate each of 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 Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out, so 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 current when the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and request a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Mount Victoria rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Mount Victoria rental properties.

Start now and call about the Mount Victoria Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your house need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the structure when the home warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Mount Victoria

Mount Victoria rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it requirements to be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it may need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding how dry air is easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Mount Victoria

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making more easy to allow the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps 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

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Mount Victoria include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over in a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties house assessment.