Healthy Homes Assessment Homedale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Homedale rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person 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 Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Homedale, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Homedale rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Homedale rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Homedale Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A damp home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into your house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Homedale

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

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it must include a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it might just need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Homedale

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Homedale

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make it easier to allow the household to keep warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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 this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Homedale

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to The Healthy Homes Standards in Homedale include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over during the home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.