Healthy Homes Assessment Thorndon

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 are now required to make sure that their Thorndon rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must 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 and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work required. needs to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on the Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment done 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 So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Thorndon, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Thorndon rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Thorndon rental properties.

Start now and call about the Thorndon Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Thorndon

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house is more expensive 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 needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Thorndon

Thorndon rental properties need to have a stable heating source that is able to heat the living space to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must have a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Thorndon

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising how dry air is much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements at least to open to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Thorndon

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to allow the household to hold the heat.

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

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

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

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

Thorndon Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Thorndon

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to The Healthy Homes Standard in Thorndon include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Thorndon for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.