Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Victoria

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Mount Victoria rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the 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 isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

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

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is important to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and request a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Mount Victoria rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Mount Victoria rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Mount Victoria Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of your home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the household heats and cools, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will check every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Mount Victoria

Rental properties in Mount Victoria require a reliable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Mount Victoria

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and it will make an easier task to the household to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part 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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mount Victoria

Rental property areas affected with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Victoria include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over during the house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.