Healthy Homes Assessment Birchville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Birchville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be done, and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in 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 $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within 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 incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period 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 only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Birchville, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Birchville rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Birchville rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out from the house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the building when the household warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Birchville

Birchville rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it should have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Birchville

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dry air is easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Birchville

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier to allow the household to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Birchville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place 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 accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Birchville include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check when conducting the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental property house assessment.