Healthy Homes Assessment Thorndon

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Thorndon 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 expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and request an house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Thorndon, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Thorndon rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control on Thorndon rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Thorndon Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Thorndon

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it is most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within your home require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Thorndon

Thorndon rental properties require a reliable source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most 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 wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

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

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Thorndon

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able to open to the outside and remain at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Thorndon

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy to allow the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 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 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

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Thorndon

The areas of rental property that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Thorndon include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Thorndon for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check in the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.