Healthy Homes Assessment Fairfield

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Fairfield rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work required. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified for 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Fairfield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Fairfield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and request a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Fairfield, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Fairfield rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Fairfield rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Fairfield Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Fairfield

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A humid home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within your house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the home heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will check the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Fairfield

Rental properties in Fairfield should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Fairfield

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Fairfield

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and will also make more easy to allow the house to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Fairfield Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Fairfield

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standard in Fairfield include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Fairfield for Rental Properties

There are many things to check when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

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