Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be done and offer a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home assessment done for your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Highbury, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Highbury rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Highbury rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Highbury Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the house need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building as the home warms and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for healthy homes

Heating Highbury

Highbury rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it could need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Highbury

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards 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 in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Highbury

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier for the house to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Highbury

Property rental areas that are affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards 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 to be able to examine in a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property home assessment.