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 of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Birchville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can 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 will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property which 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 executed, and it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Birchville, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Birchville rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance 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 as Draught Stopping on Birchville rental properties.

Start now and call about the Birchville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A humid home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the house need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the structure when the house warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Birchville

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

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must include an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Birchville

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air will be much easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Birchville

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the house to retain heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Birchville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for during an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.