Healthy Homes Assessment Hospital Hill

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Hospital Hill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be done and provide a report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Hospital Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Hospital Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Hospital Hill, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Hospital Hill rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Hospital Hill rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hospital Hill

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A damp house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will test all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Hospital Hill

Hospital Hill rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Hospital Hill

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dry air is much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and don’t require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Hospital Hill

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy to allow the household to hold warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand 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 area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and 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

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

Hospital Hill Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hospital Hill

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Hospital Hill include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hospital Hill for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for in an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to book your rental properties home assessment.