Healthy Homes Assessment Hastings

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Hastings 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 in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach 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 $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified to assess both 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, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Hastings rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Hastings, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Hastings rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Hastings rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Hastings Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hastings

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A humid house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Hastings

Rental properties in Hastings must have a fixed heating source that can heat the main or largest living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. 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 source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and 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 may be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must include the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it could require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hastings

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Hastings

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier to allow the home to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Hastings Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

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

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hastings

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Hastings include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hastings for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.