Healthy Homes Assessment Thorndon

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Thorndon 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 fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess 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’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person 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 property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Thorndon, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Thorndon rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Thorndon rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Thorndon Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Thorndon

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your home need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, 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.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Thorndon

Rental properties in Thorndon need to have a stable heating source that is able to heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it could need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Thorndon

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air is more easy to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside, but remain closed to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Thorndon

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier to the home to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for 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 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Thorndon Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor 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 Thorndon

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Thorndon include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Thorndon for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over during an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties house evaluation.