Healthy Homes Assessment Upper Hutt

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Upper Hutt rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property 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 about the tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on an Upper Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Upper Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is important to note that a landlord who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Upper Hutt, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improving the standard of Upper Hutt rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping in Upper Hutt rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Upper Hutt Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Upper Hutt

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within your house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Upper Hutt

Rental properties in Upper Hutt require a reliable source of heat which can warm the living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it may require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Upper Hutt

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Upper Hutt

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy for the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement 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 remainder 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Upper Hutt Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually 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 in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Upper Hutt

The areas of rental property that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Upper Hutt include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Upper Hutt for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home assessment.