Healthy Homes Assessment Eastbourne

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Eastbourne rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely 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 assess your rental property and 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 any tasks required. needs to be done and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re completely certified to assess 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on an Eastbourne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have a house assessment performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Eastbourne, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Eastbourne rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control on Eastbourne rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Eastbourne

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A damp house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of the house need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Eastbourne

Eastbourne rental properties need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Eastbourne

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising that dried air can be more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Eastbourne

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to allow the household to hold warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 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 this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Eastbourne Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Eastbourne

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Eastbourne include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Eastbourne for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties house evaluation.