Healthy Homes Assessment Kelson

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Kelson rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 assess your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, 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 to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Kelson, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the standard of Kelson rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of 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, as well Draught Stopping within Kelson rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Kelson Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kelson

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the house warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Kelson

Kelson rental properties need to have a stable heating source that is able to heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump then it must include an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it may require a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kelson

Every living space in a rental property must include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air is easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Kelson

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the house to hold heat.

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

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

• 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 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kelson Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about 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 with the Healthy Homes Standard in Kelson include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kelson for Rental Properties

There are many concerns you should look for during the house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to book your rental property house evaluation.