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Healthy Homes

Healthy Homes Standards for New Zealand Rentals

Does your home meet Healthy Homes Standards for New Zealand Rentals?

When you want to rent out your premises or property, it is very important to make sure that your home meets the Healthy Homes Standards for New Zealand.

 

Ever since the The ‘Residential Tenancies (Healthy Homes Standards) Regulations 2019’ has come into force it has been made mandatory to meet the standards of healthy homes compliance.

 

The Healthy Homes standards Auckland New Zealand aim to improve the health and warmth of the nations 600,000 rental properties by creating minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, draught stopping, moisture ingress and drainage.

 

Scope works can help you to get your properties meet healthy homes standards in New Zealand. We will get a healthy homes compliance assessment for your property.

 

Call us to get free quotes for heating, insulation, ground moisture barrier and ventilation or inspection reports to check if your property is up to standard.

Healthy Homes Standards – Deadlines:

  • From 1 July 2019: New/varied Tenancy Agreements to include declaration of intention to comply with the 5 Healthy Homes Standards.
  • From 1 December 2020: New/varied Tenancy Agreements must include information on current levels of the 5 Healthy Homes Standards.
  • From 1 July 2021: New/varied Tenancy Agreements must comply with all the new Standards within 90 days.
  • By 1 July 2024: ALL rental properties must be compliant with the 5 Healthy Homes Standards.

Heating Standard

  • An efficient fixed heating device that is capable of warming the living room to 18°C on the coldest day of winter is the new rental Standard.
  • An online tool has been developed to help landlords and tenants calculate the heating requirement.
  • In most rentals it will be a large source such as a heat pump or wood burner will be required. For very small living rooms and apartments a small fixed electric heater may be sufficient.
  • Inefficient, unaffordable or unhealthy heaters like unflued gas heaters, open fires, electric heaters with a heating capacity of greater than 2.4kW or multiple electric heaters can still be used but will not be accepted as meeting the Standard.
  • Refers to electric heaters that are not heat pumps.

Insulation Standard

  • The only extra requirement is for rentals with 70-120mm of ceiling insulation that required no work under the 2016 regulations. Under the Standards they too must meet the 2008 Building Code from 2021.
  • The minimum level of ceiling and underfloor insulation under the Standard must either:
    a) meet the 2008 Building Code, or
    b) for existing ceiling insulation have a minimum thickness of 120mm and be in reasonable condition.
  • Properties that have added (or already need to add) insulation to meet the 2016 regulations are not affected by the change to the Standard since they must still meet the required level of insulation.
  • Remember foil underfloor insulation that is damaged, torn or dusty, must be replaced with insulation as it is illegal to repair or install it.
  • The deadline for mandatory insulation in all rentals did not change. Since 1 July 2019 all rentals must be insulated.

Draught Stopping Standard

  • Any gaps or holes that cause noticeable draughts must be ‘stopped”. This includes gaps/holes in and around windows, doors, walls, ceilings, floors and unused chimneys and fireplaces.
  • Stopping draughts is a relatively low cost measure and the government has indicated that gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the home will require sealing.

This information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing. For the latest information you can read the full details at the Tenancy Services website.

 

We work throughout the Auckland area, particularly Botany, Manukau, Epsom, Manurewa, Mangere, and Onehunga.

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