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 now have to ensure 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 rental properties must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be completed and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is important to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Boulcott, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Boulcott rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping on Boulcott rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Boulcott Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Boulcott

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will test all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Boulcott

Rental properties in Boulcott require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the 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 recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to have a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might just need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Boulcott

Each liveable space in a rental home must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dried air can be easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Boulcott

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to allow the home to keep the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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 this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Boulcott Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently not apparent that it could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Boulcott

Areas of rental properties that are impacted 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 many concerns to check during a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.