Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that 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 rentals must 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 can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it is updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Highbury, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Highbury rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Highbury rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it’s probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Highbury

Highbury rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can heat the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require 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 safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Highbury

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air will be much easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Highbury

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task to allow the home to retain the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about 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 to The Healthy Homes Standard in Highbury include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine during an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up 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 the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.