Healthy Homes Assessment Grenada Village

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Grenada Village 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 must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully certified for 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, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Grenada Village rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Grenada Village rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Grenada Village Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap, then it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

There is no require to block gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Grenada Village

Grenada Village rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it could require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Grenada Village

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dry air is much easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and are not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Grenada Village

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and will also make much easier for the home to hold the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also 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 avoid water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. 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 Grenada Village

Rental property areas affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Grenada Village include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada Village for Rental Properties

There are many things to check during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.