Healthy Homes Assessment Grenada Village

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Grenada Village rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant 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 the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for serious violations, and landlords who own 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 huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Grenada Village rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping for Grenada Village rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no need to block gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building when the home is heated and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Grenada Village

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

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it might require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Grenada Village

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air is less difficult to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight requirements at least to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Grenada Village

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making it easier to the house to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with 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 greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Grenada Village

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada Village for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over during a house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.