Healthy Homes Assessment Belmont

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Belmont rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are 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 satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes 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 violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully certified to evaluate 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 tenancy is signed for a Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on the Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an house 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?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Belmont, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Belmont rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Belmont rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Belmont Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Belmont

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap that is, it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from your house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will inspect all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being homes

Heating Belmont

Belmont rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it could need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Belmont

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air is much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Belmont

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make it easier to allow the household to keep warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand 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 part of 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Belmont Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from getting into the home. It also helps prevent 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 to The Healthy Homes Standard in Belmont include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Belmont for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over during a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties house evaluation.