Healthy Homes Assessment Crofton Downs

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Crofton Downs rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 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 check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified for 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Crofton Downs rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Crofton Downs rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Crofton Downs, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Crofton Downs rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping for Crofton Downs rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Crofton Downs Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Crofton Downs

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within your house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Crofton Downs

Crofton Downs rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature 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 least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Crofton Downs

Each living space within a rental property must include at least one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air is more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Crofton Downs

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making more easy to allow the household to keep warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Crofton Downs Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Crofton Downs

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with the Healthy Homes Standard in Crofton Downs include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Crofton Downs for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine during the house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental properties house assessment.