Healthy Homes Assessment Brooklyn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Brooklyn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under 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 healthy homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely 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, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may be issued 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 providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

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

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Brooklyn, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Brooklyn rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

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

Begin now by calling about the Brooklyn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brooklyn

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the house warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Brooklyn

Brooklyn rental properties require a reliable heating source that can warm the main or largest living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to include the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it might need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Brooklyn

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Brooklyn

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to the house to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Brooklyn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from rising into the building. It also assists in preventing 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

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brooklyn for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine in the home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental properties house evaluation.