Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure 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 rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and offer the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully certified 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Highbury, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improve the quality of Highbury rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping in 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 may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap, then it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the household warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Highbury

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

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it must include a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it may require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Highbury

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Highbury

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete 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 to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Highbury include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.