Healthy Homes Assessment Brooklyn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Brooklyn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer the report with all the necessary information 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 in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct 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?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Brooklyn, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

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

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Brooklyn rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Brooklyn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brooklyn

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes 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 gap or hole, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Brooklyn

Brooklyn rental properties must have a fixed heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as a heat pump, then it might just need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Brooklyn

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dry air will be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements at least to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Brooklyn

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

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

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 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 - 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 standard.

Brooklyn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brooklyn

Property rental areas that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Brooklyn include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brooklyn for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for during an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.