Healthy Homes Assessment Belmont

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Belmont rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details 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 information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Belmont, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Belmont rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping on Belmont rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Belmont Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Belmont

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A draughty home costs more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Belmont

Rental properties in Belmont need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it could need an upgrade to be able 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 are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Belmont

Every living space of a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising how dried air can be easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside, and stay closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Belmont

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes it easier to the home to keep heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Belmont Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Belmont

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standard in Belmont include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Belmont for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for during a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.