Healthy Homes Assessment Birchville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Birchville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which needs to be done and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, and 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside 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 is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and request a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Birchville, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Birchville rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Birchville rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Birchville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A damp home costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out from your home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

There is no need to block holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the home warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being homes

Heating Birchville

Rental properties in Birchville need to have a stable heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it may require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Birchville

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, and stay closed to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Birchville

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier to the house to keep warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Birchville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

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