Healthy Homes Assessment Stokes Valley

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Stokes Valley rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be done, and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach 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 $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Stokes Valley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Stokes Valley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and request an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Stokes Valley, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Stokes Valley rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Control within Stokes Valley rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Stokes Valley Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Draught Stopping Stokes Valley

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Heating Stokes Valley

Rental properties in Stokes Valley require a reliable source of heat that can warm 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 as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. 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 a heat pump, then it might just need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Stokes Valley

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to have the ability open to the outside, but remain at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

Insulation Stokes Valley

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and will also make more easy to allow the home to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Stokes Valley Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically not apparent that it can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Rental Property Home Assessments Stokes Valley

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Stokes Valley include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Home Assessments Stokes Valley for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for during the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.