Healthy Homes Assessment Alicetown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Alicetown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be done and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have a house assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Alicetown, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Alicetown rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Alicetown rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Alicetown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Alicetown

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A humid house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the house heats and cools, in order to let them be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Alicetown

Rental properties in Alicetown need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Alicetown

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Alicetown

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure the insulation meets current standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy for the home to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Alicetown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Alicetown

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Alicetown include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Alicetown for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.