Healthy Homes Assessment Kelson

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? Landlords now have to ensure that their Kelson rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that requirements to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy 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 up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Kelson, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Kelson rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Control for Kelson rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kelson

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A humid house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the building as the house heats and cools, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will test every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Kelson

Rental properties in Kelson require a reliable source of heat that can warm the main or largest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the 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 source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump it needs to include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it may need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Kelson

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Kelson

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to allow the household to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the quality of insulation.

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kelson Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kelson

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Kelson include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kelson for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.