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 July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Wadestown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties we are completely certified 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Wadestown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on the Wadestown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

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

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out which 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 contract is executed, and it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Wadestown, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Wadestown rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Wadestown rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wadestown

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out from your house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the house warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will test all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Wadestown

Rental properties in Wadestown need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it might require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Wadestown

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Wadestown

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making it easier for the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of 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, underfloor R 1.3

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

Wadestown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wadestown

Property rental areas that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Wadestown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wadestown for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for when conducting an home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property home assessment.