Healthy Homes Assessment Wilton

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 now have to make sure their Wilton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Wilton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Wilton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation 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 the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as 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 Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and request a house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Wilton, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Wilton rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Wilton rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Wilton Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wilton

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not 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 whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being houses

Heating Wilton

Wilton rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must have an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it might just need an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Wilton

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain closed to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans which are vented 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 high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Wilton

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to allow the household to hold warmth.

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

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

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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Wilton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wilton

The areas of rental property that are affected with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Wilton include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wilton for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.