Healthy Homes Assessment Kingston

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Kingston rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must 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 determine 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 of any work required. needs to be done and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified for 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on the Kingston rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding 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 information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Kingston, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Kingston rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over 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 Draught stopping for Kingston rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingston

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in households. A humid house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

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 are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within your home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the home warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all doors and windows as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Kingston

Kingston rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. 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 needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should have the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as the heat pump, it may require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Kingston

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside, but remain closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Kingston

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to allow the home to keep warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingston Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

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

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingston

Property rental areas that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Kingston include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingston for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties home assessment.