Healthy Homes Assessment Highbury

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Highbury rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Highbury rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Highbury, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the standard of Highbury rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Highbury rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Highbury Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Highbury

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A draughty home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building as the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Highbury

Rental properties in Highbury must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump then it must have an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as the heat pump, it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Highbury

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Highbury

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to allow the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Highbury Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Highbury

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Highbury include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Highbury for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.