What is a Healthy Homes Assessment?
A Healthy Homes Assessment provides evidence that a rental property met the Healthy Homes Standards at the time it was tenanted. This assessment covers various aspects of the property, ensuring it complies with standards designed to promote health, safety, and comfort for tenants. The collected information helps to complete the Compliance Statement—a document that must be updated and reissued for each new tenancy or tenancy renewal.
Does the Certificate Expire?
Technically, a Healthy Homes compliance certificate doesn’t “expire” in the way a driving license or a passport might. However, landlords should be aware that standards compliance isn’t a one-and-done task. The assessment is based on the property’s condition at the time of inspection, but MBIE (the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment) recommends ongoing checks. Landlords are encouraged to inspect the property throughout the tenancy and at the end of each tenancy to ensure it remains up to standard.
This ongoing responsibility means that while the original assessment may still reflect compliance, regular upkeep and checks are essential. If any aspect of the property falls out of compliance during a tenancy, landlords must address it to stay aligned with the Healthy Homes Standards.
What Should Landlords Do?
1. Regular Inspections: Conduct routine inspections to verify that all aspects of the property—insulation, heating, ventilation, moisture control, and draught stopping—are maintained as per the standards.
2. Stay Informed: The standards may be updated over time, so landlords should stay informed of any changes and adjust their property compliance as needed.
3. Update Compliance Statements: Each new tenancy or renewal requires an updated Compliance Statement, which details the property’s adherence to Healthy Homes Standards. This ensures transparency and helps protect both landlords and tenants.
Ensuring Long-Term Compliance
The best approach for landlords is to treat the Healthy Homes compliance certificate as an evolving responsibility rather than a fixed one. By consistently following the MBIE’s guidelines and keeping properties well-maintained, landlords can provide tenants with healthy, compliant living spaces while also avoiding potential issues during tenancy changes.
For more information on keeping your rental property up to standard, you can refer to the MBIE's guidelines here.
If you're unsure whether your property meets all the Healthy Homes Standards or would like a second opinion, Healthy Homes NZ provides a $10 discount for myRent users on their professional inspection services. Visit this link to send your enquiry.
The information contained in this article is exclusively for promotional purposes. It does not in any way constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as the basis for any legal action or contractual dealings. The information is not and does not attempt to be, a comprehensive account of the relevant law in New Zealand. If you require legal advice, you should seek independent legal counsel. myRent.co.nz does not accept any liability that may arise from the use of this information.
