Healthy Homes Assessment Glenside

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Glenside rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work required. requirements to be completed and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Glenside rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Glenside rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy 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.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it is updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also important to note that landlords with multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request an house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Glenside, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Glenside rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Glenside rental properties.

Start now and call about the Glenside Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Glenside

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of your home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the house heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will test all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Glenside

Glenside rental properties should have a permanent heating source which can warm the living space to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Glenside

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight needs at least open to the outside and remain closed to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Glenside

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to allow the household to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Glenside Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Glenside

The areas of rental property that are affected with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Glenside include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Glenside for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for in an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.