Healthy Homes Assessment Homedale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Homedale rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a 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 will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully certified to evaluate 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 items need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on the Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

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

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Homedale rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the household warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will inspect all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Homedale

Homedale rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most 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 heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must have an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Homedale

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be more easy 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 areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Homedale

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. 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 Homedale

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standards in Homedale include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.