Healthy Homes Assessment Upper Hutt

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Upper Hutt 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 certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work required. requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6792

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Upper Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Upper Hutt rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in 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 landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is also important to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and request a home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Upper Hutt, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Upper Hutt rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Upper Hutt rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Upper Hutt Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Upper Hutt

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A damp house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it is most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit from your home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Upper Hutt

Rental properties in Upper Hutt require a reliable heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should have an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it may need a top up to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Upper Hutt

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture 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 is easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Upper Hutt

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and will also make it easier to allow the home to hold warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Upper Hutt Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue that can cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect 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 floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Upper Hutt

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Upper Hutt include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Upper Hutt for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over in the house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental property house evaluation.