Healthy Homes Assessment Avalon

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Avalon rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st 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. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which requirements to be completed and provide a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Avalon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Avalon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Avalon, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Avalon rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living due to diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping on Avalon rental properties.

Start now and call about the Avalon Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Avalon

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A draughty home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the home heats and cools, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being homes

Heating Avalon

Avalon rental properties require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that 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 houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Avalon

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

A ventilation quality is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Avalon

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to allow the household to retain warmth.

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

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

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Avalon Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Avalon

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standards in Avalon include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Avalon for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house evaluation.