Healthy Homes Assessment Homedale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Homedale rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be completed and offer the report with all the information required 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 in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have a home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Homedale, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improving the quality of Homedale rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Homedale rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Homedale Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building when the home heats and cools, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will test all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Homedale

Rental properties in Homedale should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it needs to include an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it may require an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Homedale

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air is much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Homedale

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task to the home to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

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

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

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Homedale

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Homedale include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for during a house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.