Healthy Homes Assessment Gracefield

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Gracefield rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks that needs to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully certified to assess 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 on a Gracefield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on a Gracefield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and arrange to have an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Gracefield, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Gracefield rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Gracefield rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Gracefield Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Gracefield

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole, then it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building as the household warms and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will test every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Gracefield

Rental properties in Gracefield require a reliable heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it needs to have an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Gracefield

Every living space of the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air is more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or skylight needs at least of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Gracefield

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make an easier task to the home to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

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

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

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

Gracefield Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently what you don’t see that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Gracefield

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to The Healthy Homes Standards in Gracefield include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Gracefield for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental property home assessment.