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 must ensure that their Wilton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed 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 assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work required. needs to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified for 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, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Wilton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Wilton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Wilton, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Wilton rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping on Wilton rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Wilton Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wilton

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in households. A humid home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole that is, it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out within the house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Wilton

Rental properties in Wilton require a reliable heating source which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. 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 heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it may require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wilton

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Wilton

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure the insulation meets current quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making it easier to allow the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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, underfloor R 1.3

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

Wilton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually not apparent that it could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent 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 Wilton

Property rental areas that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Wilton include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wilton for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.