Healthy Homes Assessment Birchville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Birchville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully qualified to assess both 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and must be updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Birchville, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Birchville rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Birchville rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A cold home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into your house need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Birchville

Birchville rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need 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 suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Birchville

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding how dried air can be more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Birchville

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy for the house to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 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 the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Birchville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Birchville include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for during a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.