Healthy Homes Assessment Wellington

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Wellington rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to 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 your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer the report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Wellington rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to remember that a landlord with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or 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, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Wellington, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Wellington rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping on Wellington rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Wellington Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wellington

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A damp home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into your home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Wellington

Rental properties in Wellington should have a permanent heating source that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed 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 suitable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should include the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Wellington

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

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

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Wellington

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier to allow the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of 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

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

Wellington Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wellington

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wellington for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine in a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.