Healthy Homes Assessment Wilton

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Wilton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely 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 can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Wilton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Wilton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also crucial to note that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Wilton, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who report at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Wilton rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping in Wilton rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wilton

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household heats and cools, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Wilton

Wilton rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it may need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wilton

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air is less difficult to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs at least to open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order 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 and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Wilton

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to allow the house to keep the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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, underfloor R 1.3

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

Wilton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wilton

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Wilton include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wilton for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check in an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.