Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Victoria

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Mount Victoria rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully certified 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Mount Victoria rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control for Mount Victoria rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Mount Victoria Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Mount Victoria

Rental properties in Mount Victoria should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

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

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

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Mount Victoria

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to allow the home to keep warmth.

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 insulation is able to resist 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 part 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 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor 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 Mount Victoria

Property rental areas that are affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Mount Victoria include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.