Healthy Homes Assessment Normandale

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 now have to make sure their Normandale rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be completed and offer the report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Normandale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Normandale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Normandale, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Normandale rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

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

Contact us now to discuss the Normandale Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Normandale

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A humid house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the home need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Normandale

Rental properties in Normandale require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it may need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Normandale

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Normandale

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to the household to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and 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.

Normandale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the home. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Normandale

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Normandale include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Normandale for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check during an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to book your rental property home assessment.