Healthy Homes Assessment Upper Hutt

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Upper Hutt rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely 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 whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work required. requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Upper Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Upper Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated 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 reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and request a home inspection performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households in New Zealand and Upper Hutt, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Upper Hutt rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Upper Hutt rental properties.

Start now and call about the Upper Hutt Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Upper Hutt

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A humid home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the home is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will inspect the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Upper Hutt

Upper Hutt rental properties require a reliable heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed 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 require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it requirements to include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may need an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Upper Hutt

Every living space of a rental home must have at least one opening door or window to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air will be less difficult to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Upper Hutt

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make more easy to allow the household to hold heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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, underfloor R 1.3

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

Upper Hutt Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which 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.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Upper Hutt

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Upper Hutt include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Upper Hutt for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.