Healthy Homes Assessment Fairfield

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Fairfield rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

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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 Fairfield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on a Fairfield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Fairfield, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the standard of Fairfield rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Fairfield rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Fairfield Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Fairfield

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Fairfield

Rental properties in Fairfield need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. 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 needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to include the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent 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, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it may require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Fairfield

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding how dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Fairfield

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier for the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist 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 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Fairfield Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Fairfield

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to The Healthy Homes Standard in Fairfield include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Fairfield for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for during the house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties home evaluation.