Healthy Homes Assessment Wellington Central

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure 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 rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified for 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 new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Wellington Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Wellington Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and request a house assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Wellington Central, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who reported at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Wellington Central rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping on Wellington Central rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Wellington Central Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wellington Central

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure as the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Wellington Central

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

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Wellington Central

Every living space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dried air can be less difficult to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. We offer a 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 for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Wellington Central

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with 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 well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make more easy to allow the household to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Wellington Central Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to 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 is often what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wellington Central

The areas of rental property that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Wellington Central include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wellington Central for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check in a house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.