Healthy Homes Assessment Newtown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Newtown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Newtown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Newtown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Newtown, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Newtown rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Newtown rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Newtown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Newtown

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the house warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Newtown

Rental properties in Newtown need to have a stable source of heat that can heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must include an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it may require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Newtown

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside and remain closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Newtown

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to the house to retain heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Newtown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Newtown

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Newtown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Newtown for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental property home assessment.