Healthy Homes Assessment Grenada Village

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Grenada Village rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work required. needs to be done and provide the report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re completely 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed. It must be updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Grenada Village rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Grenada Village rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the building as the household warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Grenada Village

Grenada Village rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Grenada Village

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside while remaining closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Grenada Village

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the house to hold warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• 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 this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the property. 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

The areas of rental property that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Grenada Village include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada Village for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over during an home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties home assessment.