Healthy Homes Assessment Hutt Central

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Hutt Central 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 compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work required. needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Hutt Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Hutt Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who manage several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Hutt Central, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Hutt Central rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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

Contact us now to discuss the Hutt Central Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hutt Central

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A humid 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 requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your home require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Hutt Central

Hutt Central rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can heat the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it may require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hutt Central

Every living space of a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property 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 are not considered liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

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

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Hutt Central

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make much easier for the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Hutt Central Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hutt Central

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Hutt Central include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hutt Central for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over in a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.