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 make sure that their Belmont rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified to evaluate 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to note that a landlord who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Belmont, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Belmont rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping on Belmont rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Belmont Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Belmont

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A humid home costs more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the house heats and cools, so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Belmont

Belmont rental properties require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must include an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, like an air conditioner, it may require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Belmont

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air will be more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight needs to be able open to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Belmont

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier to the household to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, 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 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Belmont Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Belmont

The areas of rental property that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Belmont include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Belmont for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.