Healthy Homes Assessment Whitby

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Whitby rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely 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 check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer a report with all the details required 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 found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Whitby rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Whitby rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. 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 Whitby, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Whitby rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping for Whitby rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Whitby

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out within your house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Whitby

Rental properties in Whitby should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. 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) and at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as a heat pump, then it may require an upgrade 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.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Whitby

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open 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.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding how dry air is much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Whitby

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to allow the house to retain heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the quality of insulation.

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Whitby Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Whitby

Property rental areas that are affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Whitby include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Whitby for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental property home evaluation.