Healthy Homes Assessment Khandallah

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Khandallah rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. needs to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for 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 landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified to assess 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Khandallah rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Khandallah rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is also important to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home assessment performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Khandallah, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Khandallah rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould 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 as Draught-stopping on Khandallah rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Khandallah Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Khandallah

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of the house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Khandallah

Rental properties in Khandallah should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, 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 and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must include an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it might just need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Khandallah

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air is more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Khandallah

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier for the household to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand 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 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Khandallah Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 Khandallah

Property rental areas that are affected with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Khandallah include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Khandallah for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine during a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home assessment.