Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work required. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified to evaluate 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 contract is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or amended 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 relate to the building they are living 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 be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also important to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment done on your rental property.

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 so important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Highbury, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Highbury rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living because of diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in 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 right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the household warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Highbury

Highbury rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source like a heat pump, then it could need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Highbury

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air will be much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside, and stay closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Highbury

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to the house to retain the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• 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 the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Highbury

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Highbury include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for during an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.