Healthy Homes Assessment Whitby

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Whitby rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide a report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully qualified for 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Whitby rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have an house 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 are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Whitby, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Whitby rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping for Whitby rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Whitby Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Whitby

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap, then it is likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of the house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Whitby

Whitby rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need 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 those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just require a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Whitby

Every living space of a rental home must include at least one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding that dried air can be 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 considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not need an opening door or window.

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Whitby

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy to the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of 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 below floor R 1.3

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

Whitby Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Whitby

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Whitby include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Whitby for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check when conducting an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.