Healthy Homes Assessment Kelson

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Kelson rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in 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 assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach 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 relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully certified for 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease 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 Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Kelson, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Kelson rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

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

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Kelson Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kelson

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A humid house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of your home require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the structure as the home warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Kelson

Rental properties in Kelson must have a fixed heating source that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, then it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a central heating source like a heat pump, then it might just need an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Kelson

Each liveable space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to have the ability open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Kelson

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to allow the household to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kelson Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor 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 Kelson

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Kelson include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kelson for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.