Healthy Homes Assessment Fairfield

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Fairfield rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to 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 will assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide the report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Fairfield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or 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 fails to provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households in New Zealand and Fairfield, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Fairfield rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping in Fairfield rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Fairfield

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Fairfield

Rental properties in Fairfield must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might require a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Fairfield

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or Skylight requirements to be able open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Fairfield

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier to allow the house to retain heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Fairfield Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building but 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’s frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of 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 with the Healthy Homes Standard in Fairfield include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Fairfield for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting an home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.