Healthy Homes Assessment Wadestown

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 Wadestown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Wadestown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Wadestown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is completed, and is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Wadestown, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Wadestown rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping on Wadestown rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Wadestown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wadestown

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely to be 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 seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Wadestown

Rental properties in Wadestown should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the largest or main living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. 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 needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wadestown

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Wadestown

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure the insulation meets current standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make it easier to the home to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Wadestown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor 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 Wadestown

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Wadestown include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wadestown for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to book your rental property home assessment.