Insulation, smoke alarms required under new Act

CHANGES TO the Residential Tenancies Act means owners of private rental properties will have to insulate and fit them with smoke alarms by July 2019.

To comply with the new Act, insulation will need to be installed under floor and in ceiling cavities, although this may not be possible in properties with concrete floors and flat rooflines.

Oxygen marketing manager Lizzie Blount says while changes to the Act will improve the condition of rental properties, other measures also should be considered when maintaining an investment property. These include waterproofing the under-floor cavity, carpeting and tiling, ventilating kitchens and bathrooms, and fitting smoke alarms.

‘‘Properties of any era that are equipped with thermal lined window coverings and carpet will always be warmer than those that are not,’’ Blount says.

‘‘When it comes to choosing the right heating options, the type of property, the age, the level of insulation, the size of the rooms and the layout will all need to be considered.

‘‘Heating options like panel wall heaters and panel oil heaters can be very effective, especially if the bedrooms are not huge.

‘‘Larger lounge and dining areas are often equipped with heat pumps, gas fireplaces or larger oil fin heaters that are designed for a larger space.

‘‘In some situations, other forms of portable heating might actually suit a property better, depending on its size, output and use.’’

Blount says proper ventilation is almost as important as proper heating.

‘‘Cost effective solutions such as providing an outside clothes line under cover, installing extractor fans and range hoods in kitchens and bathrooms with a timer switch, and installing a shower dome or offering heating options other than un-flued gas heating can all contribute to a more positive outcome.’’

Blount says more than 400 Oxygen properties have been insulated under the government scheme so far.

‘‘Our dedicated team of property managers has already been working with landlords to ensure that all of the properties on our books meet the requirements by the required date.

‘‘We can easily incorporate the work into our maintenance plans, which are updated regularly and worked on directly by each of our property management experts.

‘‘If you do own an investment property in the Hutt Valley and your tenants are over 65 years of age or meet specific financial or health criteria, then it is worth getting in touch with the Hutt City Council.’’

The hard fact is whether it’s a 1940’s exstate house that has been renovated to a reasonable standard with under floor and ceiling insulation and a heat pump, or a more modern weatherboard home with full insulation, carpets and stand-alone heaters in each room – the heat will inevitably escape through windows, wooden floors and gaps in joinery if it can find a way.

‘‘There is a number of ways that you can get your property insulated — under floor and ceiling — free of charge.

‘‘Energy Smart, Sustainability Trust and Warm Up Wellington are all able to provide information on this scheme. If your tenant has a Community Services Card, insulation is often free of charge.’’

Oxygen also is negotiating a bulk purchase of smoke alarms to offer customers at a discounted price to increase the safety factor.

‘‘Smoke alarms are also covered in the changes to this Act and are an essential part of providing a safe home,’’ Blount says.

‘‘According to the New Zealand Fire Service, smoke alarms were either not installed or not working in 80 per cent of the house fires that it attended in 2014.’’