Healthy Homes Assessment Birchville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Birchville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely 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 assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified for 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in 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 does not provide the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is crucial to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment done for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Birchville, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Birchville rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Birchville rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Birchville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in households. A humid house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within the home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the structure when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Birchville

Birchville rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can heat the largest or main living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source like heat pumps, it might need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Birchville

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is about recognising how dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs to be able open to the outside, but remain at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details 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 July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy to the home to keep heat.

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 insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Birchville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Birchville include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over in the home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.