Healthy Homes Assessment Boulcott

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Boulcott rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st 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 to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for 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 who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully qualified to evaluate both 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and request a house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Boulcott, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Boulcott rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance 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 Draught Control in Boulcott rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Boulcott Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Boulcott

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it is probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of the home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the house warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will examine all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Boulcott

Boulcott rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the main or largest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like an air conditioner, it could require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Boulcott

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air is more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside while remaining closed to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Boulcott

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to allow the home to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Boulcott 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 as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually not apparent that it could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

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

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Boulcott

Rental property areas affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Boulcott include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Boulcott for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for in the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property home assessment.