Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to 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 to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. needs to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and request a home assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Highbury, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Highbury rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

Get started now and contact us about getting a Highbury Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A humid house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within your home need seals. 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 ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no require to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building as the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important for well-being homes

Heating Highbury

Highbury rental properties need to have a stable source of heat which can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must be equipped with an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it could need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Highbury

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dry air is less difficult to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside, but remain at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Highbury

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to the household to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well 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 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Highbury

Property rental areas that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Highbury include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.