The Healthy Homes Standards have been created to improve the quality of rental properties, making them healthier and safer for tenants, and making it easier for them to keep their homes warm and dry for their families.

The Standards official became law on 1 July 2019 and introduced specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping

Rather than the standards coming into force in full as of 1 July 2019, a phased approach has been taken to introducing them, with the following deadlines coming up next:

• From 1 December 2020, landlords must include a statement of their current compliance with the Healthy Homes Standards in most new or renewed tenancy agreements.
• From 1 July 2021, private landlords must ensure their rental properties comply with the rest of the Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy.
• From 1 July 2024, all rental homes must comply with the Healthy Homes Standards in their entirety.

Be Wary of Cowboys

The pending deadlines have resulted in a flurry of landlords and property managers engaging tradespeople and electricians to carry out work like installing extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens, or heat pumps into bedrooms and living areas – or even attempting to carry out this work themselves.

Many tradies and businesses are using the pending deadlines as an opportunity to promote their services with a range of rates and deals, so landlords and property managers can quickly become overwhelmed when it comes to selecting the right type of tradesperson to carry out their electrical work.

However, there is one non-negotiable factor – a certified and registered electrician must carry out any electrical work.

As our photos show, using an unqualified cowboy to work on your valuable investment property could quite likely result in unsightly and ugly work. Not only that, if an unqualified person carries out your electrical work and something goes wrong, you could be found legally liable, potentially financially penalised, and are likely to be uninsured.

Ensuring Your Electrical Work is Compliant

The good news is that it is straightforward to ensure that the electrical work in your rental property is compliant and that you are keeping your tenants safe – you simply need to follow these easy steps:

• Always use a qualified, certified electrician and never attempt to DIY
• Check your electrician has a current Practicing Licence
• Ask for a copy of any relevant compliance paperwork for the project. The most common types are:
  • Certificate of Compliance (CoC) – this is needed for any significant electrical works
  • Electrical Safety Certificates (ESC) – anything that connects to a power source needs a certificate. This includes security lights, heaters (heated towel rails and wall heaters for example), and other hard-wired appliances, even those bought from Bunnings or Mitre 10.

The implications of using unqualified tradespeople or attempting to carry out work yourself are not worth the risk. Not only can use cause unsightly damage to your home, but you could pose considerable safety risks to your tenants such as electrocution, fire, or other harm.

While working with a professional can cost be a little more, a qualified tradesperson will be aware of the Healthy Homes Standards and what is required to ensure compliance and have sufficient experience to evaluate a property against them. They will be able to carry out any required work safety and to a high standard to keep your property in good condition and your tenants safe.

Also, using a Master Electrician, such us No Shock Electrical, provides an additional layer of owner protection as Master Electricians back their members with $10,000 guarantee.

Choose Our Certified Electricians For All Your Needs

No Shock Electrical specialises in residential and commercial services, and our fully qualified, accredited, and registered electricians promise to offer you fast and efficient service at affordable rates as well as truly exceptional customer service.

We carry out our work under strict professional and ethical standards and pride ourselves on our safety, top quality work, and the highest standards of performance.

When you need an Auckland electrician you can trust, call the No Shock Electrical Team on (09) 636 8742 for fast, friendly, and efficient electrical services.