Healthy Homes Assessment Birchville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Birchville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a 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 will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified to evaluate 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to note that landlords with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Birchville, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Birchville rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Birchville rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Birchville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from the home require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building when the household warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Birchville

Rental properties in Birchville need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it may require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Birchville

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing 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 liveable and don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Birchville

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier for the house to retain heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Birchville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often not apparent that it could become a major issue, causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

The areas of rental property that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Birchville include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the 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 home evaluation.