Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Victoria

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 now have to make sure their Mount Victoria rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Mount Victoria rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Mount Victoria rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Mount Victoria Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A damp home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out of the house require seals. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Mount Victoria

Rental properties in Mount Victoria need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the largest or main living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it should include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Each liveable space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Mount Victoria

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to allow the house to retain the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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

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

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mount Victoria

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Victoria include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check when conducting an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house assessment.