Healthy Homes Assessment Fairfield

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Fairfield rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Fairfield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Fairfield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have a house inspection performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Fairfield, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Fairfield rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Fairfield rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Fairfield

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your home require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will inspect all windows and doors during the 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 well-being homes

Heating Fairfield

Rental properties in Fairfield must have a fixed heating source which can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to include a thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it could need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Fairfield

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dried air can be more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside and remain closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Fairfield

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and will also make more easy to allow the house to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Fairfield Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Fairfield

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Fairfield include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Fairfield for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over in a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• 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 getting on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.