Healthy Homes Assessment Gracefield

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Gracefield rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in 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. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Gracefield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide 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 person who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment done on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Gracefield, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Gracefield rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance over 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-stopping on Gracefield rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Gracefield

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole, then it is most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your house need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building as the house heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will inspect every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Gracefield

Rental properties in Gracefield need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it requirements to include a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Gracefield

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air will be more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Gracefield

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to allow the household to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Gracefield Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are 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 Gracefield

The areas of rental property that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Gracefield include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Gracefield for Rental Properties

There are many things to check when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today and book your rental property house assessment.