Healthy Homes Assessment Belmont

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Belmont rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, 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 home they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Belmont, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the quality of Belmont rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Belmont rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Belmont Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Belmont

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in households. A damp home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out within your house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Belmont

Rental properties in Belmont need to have a stable source of heat that can heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Belmont

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air is much easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Belmont

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make more easy to the home to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the quality of 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Belmont Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it is often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Belmont

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Belmont include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Belmont for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for during the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.