Healthy Homes Assessment Homedale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure 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 rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of 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 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 or renewed contract is signed on a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed by the end 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 completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s important to note that landlords who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Homedale, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the standard of Homedale rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping for Homedale rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within the house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the home is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Homedale

Rental properties in Homedale should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC, 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 as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it could need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Homedale

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay closed, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Homedale

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of this 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 to the Healthy Homes Standards in Homedale include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for during the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental properties house evaluation.