Healthy Homes Assessment Hastings

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Hastings rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant 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 to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be completed and offer the report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 856 525

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 Hastings rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Hastings rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Hastings, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Hastings rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Hastings rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hastings

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A cold house costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the house need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Hastings

Hastings rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it needs to have a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might require an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Hastings

Every living space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is less difficult to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, and stay closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Hastings

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to allow the household to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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 below floor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Hastings Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hastings

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Hastings include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hastings for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for in an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.