Healthy Homes Assessment Boulcott

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Boulcott rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant 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 and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified 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 Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s also important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Boulcott, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Boulcott rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping on Boulcott rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Boulcott Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Boulcott

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A cold home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within your home need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will inspect all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Boulcott

Boulcott rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it should include a thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it might need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Boulcott

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising how the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Boulcott

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make an easier task for the house to keep the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

• 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Boulcott Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor 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

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Boulcott include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Boulcott for Rental Properties

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

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.