Healthy Homes Assessment Seaview

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully qualified to assess both 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Seaview rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Seaview rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information 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 required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Seaview, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the standard of Seaview rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs 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, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Seaview rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Seaview

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A humid house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the structure when the household warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Seaview

Seaview rental properties require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it might just need an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Seaview

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising how dry air will be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Seaview

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make much easier for the household to hold heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Seaview Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Seaview

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Seaview include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Seaview for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.