Healthy Homes Assessment Melling

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Melling rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that needs to be done and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we 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

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Melling rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Melling rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy contract as 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 needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and arrange to have an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the 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 the property in New Zealand and Melling, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the standard of Melling rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Melling rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Melling Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Melling

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This 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 need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the house heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Melling

Rental properties in Melling require a reliable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a central heating source like the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Melling

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Melling

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to the house to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Melling Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor 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 Melling

Rental property areas affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Melling include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Melling for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over when conducting a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home assessment.