Healthy Homes Guarantee Act standards announced

[flyernzl]

Never mind.
You are a filthy rich landlord, rolling in unearned and untaxed capital gains, so you can afford it.

[artemis]

There is an election next year. Chances are there will be a different government, on current polling either Labour/Greens or National/ACT. Housing issues will be top of mind and not necessarily in a good way.

National is asking for feedback on policies, currently economic and the associated survey includes some questions about rentals -

We want your thoughts on the following:
• Is the tenancy tribunal efficiently and fairly addressing disputes between tenants and landlords?
• Does existing legislation strike the right balance between protecting tenants and imposing costs on
landlords and tenants?
• What are the major regulatory costs for landlords and are they are unnecessarily driving up
rents?

There is a building / construction discussion document still to come, though content unclear to me at least!

Strongly suggest that landlords do the economic survey, and complete the rental questions as a minimum, adding as much information and commentary as you like. It is on National's homepage.

For example, on the Healthy Rentals issue - worth pointing out the fallout from the National government's insulation regs, including confusion, a whole lot of applications for free money from the Tenancy Tribunal, and landlords who decide the game is not worth the candle. And those regs are significantly simpler than the current ones.

(Also noted in the discussion document that the bright line extension and ringfencing rental losses are to be repealed.)

[Spoook]

Never mind.
You are a filthy rich landlord, rolling in unearned and untaxed capital gains, so you can afford it.

What about all my expensive toys, boats, fast cars and overseas holidays................................ I do not have. :-P

[Spoook]

Have been given "concrete" info, now from more than one source, that two heaters can be installed to create the required wattage for the area.
To me, and all the other owners in the complex, that is a relief. One less penetration in the exterior cladding.

We went through all the remediation because of leaks, be it the materials used or penetrations into monolithic clad surfaces. The last thing any of us want to do is penetrate the cladding creating a risk of water ingress.
Could this all be the government assisting another leak crisis with all the penetrations needed to comply with their regulations.

I just may be another of those landlords that jump ship because the seas are getting too rough for safe passage.

[richard56]

Have been given "concrete" info, now from more than one source, that two heaters can be installed to create the required wattage for the area.
To me, and all the other owners in the complex, that is a relief. One less penetration in the exterior cladding.

We went through all the remediation because of leaks, be it the materials used or penetrations into monolithic clad surfaces. The last thing any of us want to do is penetrate the cladding creating a risk of water ingress.
Could this all be the government assisting another leak crisis with all the penetrations needed to comply with their regulations.

I just may be another of those landlords that jump ship because the seas are getting too rough for safe passage.

Hi
Can your share this concrete info with us...and who gave you ths info?
Thanks
Richard

[Spoook]

I managed to get through to TS (phew, what a task) and "they" said that , yes, it can be two heating units.
I asked of a property manager and was advised the same.

The starting line of the Heating Standards ....
"Landlords must provide one or more fixed heaters that can directly heat the main living room to a maintained temperature of at least 18 degrees Celsius."

Now I have to face proving that an internal kitchen has to be exempt from the rangehood vented to external air requirement. Seriously, get a builder to write a report?
"This exemption applies to kitchens or bathrooms where it is not reasonably practicable to install an extractor fan. This exemption has a number of criteria which must all be met. We recommend landlords get professional advice and keep a copy of that advice to qualify for this exemption."
I have the plans of the buildings, I am sure that can prove the vent can not be installed. Hohum, next challenge please.................

[Don't believe the Hype]

I managed to get through to TS (phew, what a task) and "they" said that , yes, it can be two heating units.
I asked of a property manager and was advised the same.

The starting line of the Heating Standards ....
"Landlords must provide one or more fixed heaters that can directly heat the main living room to a maintained temperature of at least 18 degrees Celsius."

Now I have to face proving that an internal kitchen has to be exempt from the rangehood vented to external air requirement. Seriously, get a builder to write a report?
"This exemption applies to kitchens or bathrooms where it is not reasonably practicable to install an extractor fan. This exemption has a number of criteria which must all be met. We recommend landlords get professional advice and keep a copy of that advice to qualify for this exemption."
I have the plans of the buildings, I am sure that can prove the vent can not be installed. Hohum, next challenge please.................

I used to get frustrated when I was told by council et al about the hoops I would have to jump thorough to add a room or subdivide or in this case simply provide an existing rental. Now my standard response to a road block of bill handed to me is: Thanks - I'll make sure the tenant pays that as soon as possible. Our friends at council love that response

Also remember, the higher the barriers to providing more homes to rent and or upgrading existing houses to meet the 'standard' the fewer houses will be available to rent resulting in more competition for fewer houses... let's see if Bernard Hicky or Shambles can work out the impact of that.

[Learning]

Have been given "concrete" info, now from more than one source, that two heaters can be installed to create the required wattage for the area.

I managed to get through to TS (phew, what a task) and "they" said that , yes, it can be two heating units.
I asked of a property manager and was advised the same.

Perhaps you didn't ask the right question. Yes you can use multiple heaters but as Wayne quoted from THE LAW three pages ago...

[Learning]

If the main living room’s required heating capacity is more than 2.4kW, the heater must not be an electric heater (except heat pump), unless it is used to top up an existing heater that was installed before July 2019

Using electric heating to ‘top up’ existing heating
If you are adding a new heater to a room with existing heating, each heater must meet the general requirements for heaters. There is one exception, which is that you can add a smaller fixed electric heater to ‘top up’ your existing heating if you meet all of the following conditions:

you installed your existing heating before 1 July 2019

each of your existing heaters meets the general requirements (see list on previous page) and is not an electric heater (except for a heat pump)the required heating capacity is more than 2.4 kWthe ‘top up’ you need is 1.5 kW or less.

[Spoook]

I have read all the rules and came to the conclusion a heat pump was the only way. After ringing TS I was relieved BUT what;s the betting she was not awake at the time.
I did ask if I need over 4kW heating power can I use two heaters, nothing was said about already installed heating.
I guess I will be ringing again on Monday morning.

[Don't believe the Hype]

You read the rules and understood them.

Why do you need someone at TS who's advice is not binding to tell you what they think? You can keep ringing until someone there tells you what you want to hear.

You can then follow the advice from that person at TS and when you get a fine for non compliance with the legislation you can argue that TS told you something... good luck with that.

Is your time not worth anything? If you spend a few hours on the phone with TS and then half a day defending yourself to try to get out of paying the fine before having to pay it anyway

Most people invest in property as a way to create passive income - said another way, to free up their time (i.e. stop the need for working 9-5) why waste that valuable time you've freed up on getting bogged down in the small stuff.

[Wayne]

I have read all the rules and came to the conclusion a heat pump was the only way. After ringing TS I was relieved BUT what;s the betting she was not awake at the time.
I did ask if I need over 4kW heating power can I use two heaters, nothing was said about already installed heating.
I guess I will be ringing again on Monday morning.

To get the right answer you need first ask the right question - or more to the point make it clear what the senario is.
You can add additional electric heaters to 'top-up' but you don't have existing heating to top-ups are out.

I suppose the question is
- I have no heating at the moment (just a portable electric heater) and the calculation shows I have a heat requirement of 4.5kW (for example).
Can I install 2 permanent electric heaters of say 2.4kW each to satisfy this? Even thought the Act says no.

Mostly wrong answers come from people not understanding the parameters of the senario.

[Spoook]

Another call the TS and, after explaining the exact situation in simple terms, I am again given the answer I want. 2 heaters allowed.
I explained my understanding of the new regs. After that, I am still informed I can top up to the required need with more that 1.5kW heating unit.

With these regs being so dictatorial, and not taking into account "types" of homes, there will be many landlords needing clarification on what they have to install and, with my personal experience of TS, they may not get the correct information.

Unless there is a fixed heater, already installed, that just needs a top up of up to 1.5kw, my only choice is a heat pump.
AND a penetration through the perfect cladding we have just paid a fortune for.

As this has to be complied with by 1 July 2024, or within 90 days of new tenancy after 1 July 2021, maybe we wait to see if there is some form of sanity fall onto this reg.

After thought................. ok, say I do end up installing a heat pump, in this new well insulated, double glazed, north facing sunny home, I can see my tenant only using a portable heater.

[Wayne]

Another call the TS and, after explaining the exact situation in simple terms, I am again given the answer I want. 2 heaters allowed.
I explained my understanding of the new regs. After that, I am still informed I can top up to the required need with more that 1.5kW heating unit.

Amazing really. In direct contravention of the Act it seems.
Doesn't make life easy does it?

[artemis]

Another call the TS and, after explaining the exact situation in simple terms, I am again given the answer I want. 2 heaters allowed.
I explained my understanding of the new regs. After that, I am still informed I can top up to the required need with more that 1.5kW heating unit.

With these regs being so dictatorial, and not taking into account "types" of homes, there will be many landlords needing clarification on what they have to install and, with my personal experience of TS, they may not get the correct information.

Unless there is a fixed heater, already installed, that just needs a top up of up to 1.5kw, my only choice is a heat pump.
AND a penetration through the perfect cladding we have just paid a fortune for.

As this has to be complied with by 1 July 2024, or within 90 days of new tenancy after 1 July 2021, maybe we wait to see if there is some form of sanity fall onto this reg.

After thought................. ok, say I do end up installing a heat pump, in this new well insulated, double glazed, north facing sunny home, I can see my tenant only using a portable heater.

Tell Judith Collins. National might walk these standards back a bit.

I suspect that National have been burnt by the insulation requirements they brought in last term. With many hundreds of enquiries from tenants about free money, and an increasing number of landlords being fined by the TT. In some case followed by rent rises or the rentals going on the market, and probably tenants with free money finding that their name in the TT database costs them more than the dosh they got.

Shortages of rentals and increasing rents contribute to a much higher public housing waiting list - very very expensive to create all that new housing not to mention ongoing maintenance and the $300 pw from the taxpayer for income related rent.