Healthy Homes Assessment Brooklyn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Brooklyn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to 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 certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty 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 property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment done for your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Brooklyn, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Brooklyn rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Brooklyn rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brooklyn

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out from your home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure when the house warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Brooklyn

Brooklyn rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Brooklyn

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow 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 or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Brooklyn

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and will also make it easier for the house to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Brooklyn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually not apparent that it can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor 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 Brooklyn

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Brooklyn include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brooklyn for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home assessment.