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 of July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that 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 rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks which requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to remember that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Mount Victoria rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Mount Victoria rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Mount Victoria Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out within your home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the home is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Mount Victoria

Mount Victoria rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 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 well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as a heat pump, then it may need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Mount Victoria

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy for the home to keep the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mount Victoria

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Mount Victoria include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check during a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental property home evaluation.