Healthy Homes Assessment Wellington Central

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 make sure their Wellington Central rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Wellington Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Wellington Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new 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 live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Wellington Central, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Wellington Central rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the 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 less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Wellington Central rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wellington Central

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft 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 flowing in or the air is clear from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building when the home warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Wellington Central

Wellington Central rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing installed 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 like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Wellington Central

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air is more easy to heat and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Wellington Central

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make an easier task to the home to retain heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Wellington Central Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently what you don’t see that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Wellington Central include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wellington Central for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.