Healthy Homes Assessment Wadestown

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? Landlords must ensure that their Wadestown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties and are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Wadestown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Wadestown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Wadestown, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the standard of Wadestown rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Wadestown rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wadestown

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole, then it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out within your home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will test the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Wadestown

Rental properties in Wadestown require a reliable source of heating that can heat the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must have a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Wadestown

Each living space within the rental property should have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dried air can be easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Wadestown

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making an easier task to allow the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Wadestown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wadestown

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through The Healthy Homes Standard in Wadestown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wadestown for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to book your rental properties house evaluation.