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 ensure that their Homedale rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified 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 about the work that requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to evaluate 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, when 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.

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Homedale, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improve the standard of Homedale rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Homedale rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will inspect the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Homedale

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

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it could need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Homedale

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside, and stay closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Homedale

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task for the house to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor 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 by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Homedale include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check when conducting an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental property house assessment.