Healthy Homes Assessment Homedale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware 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 a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer the report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to note that landlords with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even 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 bank account hard, with large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Homedale, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the quality of Homedale rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are 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 receiving a Homedale Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A damp house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out of the home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Homedale

Homedale rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can heat the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it should include the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it could need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Homedale

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Homedale

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area of 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Homedale

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

There are many things to check during an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.