Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Highbury, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the quality of Highbury rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Highbury rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Highbury Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A humid house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building when the house is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Highbury

Rental properties in Highbury must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it might require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Highbury

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Highbury

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier to the household to keep heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently not apparent that it could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the property. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Highbury

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through the Healthy Homes Standards in Highbury include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine during an home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.