Healthy Homes Assessment Homedale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Homedale rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks which requirements to be done and provide the report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely qualified for 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named 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.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is important to keep in mind that a landlord who own several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

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

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Homedale rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping for Homedale rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Homedale Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Homedale

Rental properties in Homedale require a reliable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 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 wellbeing.

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

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it must include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just require a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Homedale

Each liveable space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and 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 property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Homedale

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and it will make an easier task to the household to retain warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Homedale

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Homedale include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check during an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental property house evaluation.