Healthy Homes Assessment Glenside

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Glenside 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 fully 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 can evaluate your rental property and 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 any work which needs to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate 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, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Glenside rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Glenside rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed for your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Glenside, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Glenside rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Glenside rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Glenside Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Glenside

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A draughty home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into the home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will test every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Glenside

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

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it could need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Glenside

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air is much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements at least open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Glenside

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task for the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Glenside Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Glenside

Rental property areas affected to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards 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 you should look for during a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient 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 an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.