Healthy Homes Assessment Homedale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure 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 are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties we are completely qualified to assess 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, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is important to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have a house inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Homedale, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Homedale rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Homedale rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Homedale

Rental properties in Homedale require a reliable source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump then it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it may require a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Homedale

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Homedale

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and it will make it easier to the home to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of 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 below floor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of this 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 to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Homedale include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

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

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.