Healthy Homes Assessment Cannons Creek

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? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Cannons Creek rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully 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 will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be completed and offer a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully qualified for 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Cannons Creek rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Cannons Creek rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Cannons Creek, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Cannons Creek rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Cannons Creek rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Cannons Creek

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the house need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the home warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Cannons Creek

Rental properties in Cannons Creek should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must include the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it could require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Cannons Creek

Each liveable space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Cannons Creek

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier to the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, 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 quality.

Cannons Creek Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Cannons Creek

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Cannons Creek include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Cannons Creek for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine during an house assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.