Healthy Homes Assessment Newlands

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Newlands rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be done and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Newlands rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Newlands rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have an house inspection performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Newlands, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improving the standard of Newlands rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Newlands rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Newlands

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A damp home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the building when the house warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will inspect all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Newlands

Rental properties in Newlands need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should have the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Newlands

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air will be much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside and remain closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Newlands

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to allow the household to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

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

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Newlands Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Newlands

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Newlands include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Newlands for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for during the home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to book your rental property home evaluation.