Healthy Homes Assessment Thorndon

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Thorndon rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with 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 $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely qualified to assess 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to note that landlords who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have an house inspection performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Thorndon, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Thorndon rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

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

Contact us now to discuss getting a Thorndon Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Thorndon

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is 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 getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the house need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building as the home is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will test every window and door as part of the 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 homes

Heating Thorndon

Rental properties in Thorndon need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent 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 an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it could require an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Thorndon

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or Skylight needs at least of opening to the outside, but remain closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Thorndon

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making much easier to the house to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Thorndon Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Thorndon

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Thorndon include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Thorndon for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.