Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Victoria

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure 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 are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, 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

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s important to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the quality of Mount Victoria rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Mount Victoria rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Mount Victoria Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

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

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into your home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will test the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Mount Victoria

Rental properties in Mount Victoria should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should have the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as a heat pump, then it could require an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air will be easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Mount Victoria

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new 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 properly insulated home will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, as well as making an easier task to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• 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 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 this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow 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 can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about The 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 by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Victoria include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in an house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.