Healthy Homes Assessment Birchville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to assess 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 new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Birchville, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Birchville rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Birchville rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A draughty home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a hole or gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will test every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Birchville

Birchville rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it might just require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Birchville

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air is much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Birchville

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and it will make more easy to the household to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Birchville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Birchville include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over during a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.