Healthy Homes Assessment Homedale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have 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 rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which needs to be completed and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified for both 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed 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?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Homedale, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Homedale rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

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

Start now and call about having a Homedale Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

There is no require to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building when the home warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Homedale

Rental properties in Homedale require a reliable source of heating which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump it must have an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it may require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Homedale

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements to have the ability open to the outside and remain closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Homedale

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to allow the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of 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, underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent 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

The areas of rental property that are affected through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Homedale include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check in an home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.