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 of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Glenside rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely certified for 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 for a Glenside rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Glenside rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Glenside, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Glenside rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping in Glenside rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Glenside Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Glenside

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Glenside

Glenside rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, 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 may be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it could need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Glenside

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Glenside

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and it will make it easier to allow the household to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

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

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

Glenside Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the 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

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standard in Glenside include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Glenside for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property home evaluation.