Healthy Homes Assessment Belmont

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Belmont rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely 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 assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which 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 of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully certified to evaluate each of 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and request an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

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 tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Belmont rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Belmont rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Belmont

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap, then it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the house is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will test every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Belmont

Belmont rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it may need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Belmont

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dried air can be easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Belmont

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making more easy for the household to hold the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater 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 area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Belmont Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the 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 through the Healthy Homes Standard in Belmont include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Belmont for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.