Healthy Homes Assessment Wilton

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure 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 are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re completely qualified for both 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Wilton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to note that landlords with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have an house evaluation performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Wilton, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Wilton rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Wilton rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wilton

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from the home need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the structure when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being homes

Heating Wilton

Wilton rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it needs to include the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it may need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Wilton

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air will be easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Wilton

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making it easier to the home to hold warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Wilton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor 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 Wilton

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standard 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 you should look for in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental property home assessment.