Healthy Homes Assessment Hastings

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 Hastings rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Hastings rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Hastings, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Hastings rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hastings

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of the house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Hastings

Hastings rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should include a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as a heat pump, then it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hastings

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is about recognising that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain closed to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Hastings

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making much easier for the home to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Hastings Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the home. It also helps to prevent 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 Hastings

Property rental areas that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Hastings include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hastings for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for in an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental property home assessment.