Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with 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 done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards 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 as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Highbury, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Highbury rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Highbury rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out from your house need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Highbury

Highbury rental properties require a reliable source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Highbury

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs at least open to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Highbury

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and also makes an easier task to the house to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• 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 quality.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate 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 maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps in preventing 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

Rental property areas affected with The 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 a variety of things to look over when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.