The next notable date on the Healthy Homes calendar is fast approaching.
From 1 July 2021 rental properties must comply with the Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new, varied or renewed tenancy agreement.
The standards comprise five key elements which the Government has identified as having a significant impact on rental quality and tenant wellbeing and include;
For each of these areas, there are specific requirements that rental properties need to meet. If landlords fail to comply with these standards by 1 July 2021, they could face exemplary damages of up to $7,200.
The heating standard requires landlords to provide one or more fixed heater(s) that can directly heat the main living room of a rental property. These must be acceptable types of heaters and must meet a required minimum heating capacity as calculated using the Tenancy Services heating calculator. The minimum heating capacity requires that the heater(s) can heat the main living room to 18˚C.
To understand the heating capacity required, landlords need to use the Heating Assessment Tool or the formula outlined in the regulations.
The tool provides a report that sets out the minimum kW heating capacity required for a property. You can use it to check if your current heating is sufficient to meet the Healthy Homes standard, or if you need to install one or more new heaters.
This helpful document from Tenancy Services provides comprehensive information regarding the Healthy Homes heating standards.
If you are needing assistance understanding the Healthy Homes requirements, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our property management experts throughout the country.
