Healthy Homes Assessment Boulcott

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Boulcott rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be done, and provide a 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 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, and are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is important to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Boulcott, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Boulcott rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping for Boulcott rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Boulcott

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

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

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being houses

Heating Boulcott

Boulcott rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can heat the living room to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it could need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Boulcott

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air is easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Boulcott

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes more easy to the household to retain the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater 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 part of 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Boulcott Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. 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 Boulcott

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Boulcott include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Boulcott for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental property house assessment.