Healthy Homes Assessment Wellington Central

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Wellington Central rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely 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 can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified to evaluate both 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Wellington Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Wellington Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Wellington Central, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Wellington Central rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping on Wellington Central rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Wellington Central Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wellington Central

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Wellington Central

Rental properties in Wellington Central require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Wellington Central

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising how dry air is less difficult to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Wellington Central

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task to the house to keep the heat.

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

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

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

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

Wellington Central Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wellington Central

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Wellington Central include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wellington Central for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over in the house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental properties home assessment.