Healthy Homes Assessment Wadestown

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 are now required to 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 compliant by 1 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 and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully certified to assess 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Wadestown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Wadestown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to remember that landlords with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Wadestown, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who reported four or more major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Wadestown rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

Begin now by calling about the Wadestown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wadestown

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will examine every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Wadestown

Wadestown rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable 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, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might just require a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Wadestown

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

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

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

Every window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside and remain closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Wadestown

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to allow the home to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Wadestown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your 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 install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wadestown

Property rental areas that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Wadestown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wadestown for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check during an house assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.