Healthy Homes Assessment Brooklyn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware 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 renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas 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 standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties we are fully qualified for 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 tenancy is signed for a Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who own several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Brooklyn, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Brooklyn rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control on Brooklyn rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Brooklyn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brooklyn

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out of your house require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Brooklyn

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

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should include an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Brooklyn

Every living space of a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and are not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside while remaining closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Brooklyn

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets current quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to allow the home to retain heat.

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

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

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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Brooklyn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brooklyn

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standards in Brooklyn include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brooklyn for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental property home evaluation.