Healthy Homes Assessment Alicetown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Alicetown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to remember that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Alicetown, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

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

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Alicetown rental properties.

Start now and call about the Alicetown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Alicetown

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the home require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the house warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will test the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy homes

Heating Alicetown

Alicetown rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Alicetown

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Alicetown

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier to allow the home to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

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 to allow surface, rain or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Alicetown

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Alicetown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Alicetown for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check during a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.