Healthy Homes Assessment Upper Hutt

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Upper Hutt rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be completed, and offer a report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’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 landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified for both 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on an Upper Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on an Upper Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house assessment performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Upper Hutt, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Upper Hutt rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance 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 Control in Upper Hutt rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Upper Hutt Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Upper Hutt

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A cold house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will test the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Upper Hutt

Upper Hutt rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to include a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it might require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Upper Hutt

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Upper Hutt

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

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

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands 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 remainder of the 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.

Upper Hutt Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Upper Hutt

The areas of rental property that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Upper Hutt include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Upper Hutt for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.