Healthy Homes Assessment Glenside

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Glenside rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks that needs to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Glenside rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment done for your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Glenside, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Glenside rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Glenside rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Glenside Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Glenside

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A humid home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within your home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will test all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Glenside

Glenside rental properties should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must include the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it may need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Glenside

Every living space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Glenside

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to the house to retain warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Glenside Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Glenside

Property rental areas that are affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Glenside include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Glenside for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.