Healthy Homes Assessment Lower Hutt

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 that their Lower Hutt rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties we are fully qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Lower Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Lower Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Lower Hutt, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Lower Hutt rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Lower Hutt rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Lower Hutt Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lower Hutt

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out within your home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Lower Hutt

Lower Hutt rental properties should have a permanent heating source which can warm the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate 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 acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it might require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Lower Hutt

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air is much easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Lower Hutt

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make it easier to allow the home to hold the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Lower Hutt Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Lower Hutt

Rental property areas affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Lower Hutt include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lower Hutt for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.