Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely qualified to assess each of 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Highbury, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Highbury rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping for Highbury rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from the home require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building when the house warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Highbury

Rental properties in Highbury should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and 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 may be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it should be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like heat pumps, it could require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Highbury

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Highbury

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to allow the house to retain heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from entering the property. 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 quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Highbury

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Highbury include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting an house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.