Healthy Homes Assessment Newtown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Newtown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation 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 healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully certified for 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 or renewed contract is signed on a Newtown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Newtown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding 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 necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and arrange to have 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 matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Newtown, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Newtown rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Newtown rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Newtown

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in households. A damp house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be 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 coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional 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 structure when the house warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Newtown

Rental properties in Newtown must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it should include the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Newtown

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

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

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Newtown

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and will also make it easier for the house to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Newtown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Newtown

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Newtown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Newtown for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine during a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.