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 effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure 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 are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required to complete 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 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified to assess each of 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, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading 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 leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Grenada Village rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping in Grenada Village rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Grenada Village Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A damp home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into your house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Grenada Village

Grenada Village rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it might need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Grenada Village

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Grenada Village

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and will also make more easy to the house to retain heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure 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 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically not apparent that it can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Grenada Village

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Grenada Village include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada Village for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for during a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today and book your rental property home assessment.