Healthy Homes Assessment Lower Hutt

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? The landlords are now required to make sure their Lower Hutt rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

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

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified to assess both 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Lower Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Lower Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment done 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 so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Lower Hutt, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the quality of Lower Hutt rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Lower Hutt rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Lower Hutt Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lower Hutt

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out of the home need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Lower Hutt

Rental properties in Lower Hutt require a reliable source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it may require a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Lower Hutt

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air is more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Lower Hutt

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on 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 cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes an easier task for the home to keep warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 below floor R 1.3

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

Lower Hutt Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently not apparent that it could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps prevent 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 Lower Hutt

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Lower Hutt include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lower Hutt for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.