Healthy Homes Assessment Gracefield

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 must ensure that their Gracefield rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. requirements to be done and provide a report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified to evaluate 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Gracefield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Gracefield, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Gracefield rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Gracefield rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Gracefield Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Gracefield

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in homes. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your home need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the home heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Gracefield

Rental properties in Gracefield require a reliable source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source like the heat pump, it could require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Gracefield

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Gracefield

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, better 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Gracefield Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Gracefield

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Gracefield include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Gracefield for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over when conducting a house assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.