Healthy Homes Assessment Kelson

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Kelson rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work required. needs to be completed and provide the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely certified to evaluate 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, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is completed, and is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is important to keep in mind that landlords who manage several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Kelson, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Kelson rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Kelson rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Kelson Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kelson

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it’s likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the home warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Kelson

Kelson rental properties require a reliable heating source which can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as a heat pump, then it could require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kelson

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Kelson

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to the household to retain the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge 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 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kelson Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kelson

The areas of rental property that are affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kelson include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kelson for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check in an house review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.