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? The landlords are now required to make sure their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to evaluate 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, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request 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 supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Highbury, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Highbury rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also 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 the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Control within Highbury rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of 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 entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out within the house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will check the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Highbury

Rental properties in Highbury must have a fixed heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should include an thermostat. This makes the 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. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Highbury

Each living space within the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

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

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside while remaining closed to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Highbury

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and will also make an easier task to allow the home to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well 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 – 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

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

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor 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

The areas of rental property that are affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Highbury include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for in a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.