Healthy Homes Assessment Elderslea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Elderslea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be completed and provide a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified to assess 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Elderslea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Elderslea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and request an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Elderslea, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the standard of Elderslea rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control on Elderslea rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Elderslea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Elderslea

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

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your home require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Elderslea

Rental properties in Elderslea require a reliable heating source that can heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, like an air conditioner, it could need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Elderslea

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air will be much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain closed to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Elderslea

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to the house to retain warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Elderslea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Elderslea

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Elderslea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Elderslea for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over during the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.