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Rental Assessments

Meeting Healthy Homes Standards

Since the Residential Tenancies Act was updated in 2019, ceiling insulation and underfloor insulation have been compulsory in all rental homes, where it is reasonably practicable to install. Landlords failing to provide this for their tenants are in breach of the Residential Tenancies Act and they may be liable for exemplary damages of up to $4,000.

Here at Pilkington Insulation, we can provide a comprehensive assessment of your rental property’s insulation status. We provide a comprehensive document that covers existing insulation, issues the installers may encounter, whether the walls are insulated or not, and what is required to bring the insulation up to the minimum RTA standards for the ceiling and underfloor.

We also now assess houses to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards, which came into effect in 2024. To request a rental assessment (or multiples of) we need your own full name and address, as well as the rental property address and tenant’s name and contact details, so we can arrange a time with the tenant to gain access for the assessment.

Ceiling Insulation

Auckland and Northland regions are categories as Zone 1, in this area the minimum ceiling insulation required to meet Healthy Homes Standards is R2.9. 

Over time, insulation batts can shrink, they can lose 30% or more of their thickness. This can mean adding an insulation top up is required to bring the home up to standard. 

Pilkington Insulation is happy to assess your home and advise an appropriate and cost effective solution to bring your home up to standard. We are able to offer both blown and batts in our ceiling insulation services.

Underfloor Insulation

According to Healthy Homes Standards, all rental homes with an accessible underfloor crawl space are required to have underfloor insulation with a minimum R-value of R1.3. 

The standard product for rental homes is our R1.5 polyester blanket insulation. Pilkington Insulation would be happy to assess your home and provide a free no-obligation quote to bring your home up to the Healthy Homes Standards.

Ground Vapour Barriers

Depending on the structural layout of your house, you may also need a ground vapour barrier (also known as a moisture barrier) in order to bring your home up to Healthy Homes Standards.

Ground Vapour Barriers prevent moisture from evaporating from the soil beneath your house and affecting your home’s structure and living space. Even relatively dry soil patches will give off elements of moisture.

Pilkington Insulation can install a heavy-duty polythene sheet under your home to bring it up to Healthy Homes Standards and prevent moisture from the soil transferring into your home’s structure and living space.

Rental Assessments

In many cases, Pilkington Insulation can include an assessment as part of our free, no-obligation quote service (depending on the area and travel involved).

If you choose to proceed with our quote then as part of our installation service, Pilkington Insulation can provide an insulation certificate confirming that your home’s insulation has been installed in accordance with the building code and meets all requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards and the Residential Tenancies Act. 

Note: If a cost applies to the rental assessment, we will advise you before proceeding.

How to meet the current insulation regulations

An insulating material’s resistance to conductive heat flow is measured or rated in terms of its thermal resistance or R-value — the higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness. Below are the new minimum standards for insulation in rental homes from the 1st of July 2019.

Zone 1 & 2
Ceiling
R2.9
Underfloor
R1.3
Zone 3
Ceiling
R3.3
Underfloor
R1.3

Let’s chat about insulating your property today