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 ensure that their Khandallah rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st 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 to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be completed and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely 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, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Khandallah rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Khandallah rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting 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 when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment done on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Khandallah, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less effective heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Khandallah rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control for Khandallah rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Khandallah Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Khandallah

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into your house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being houses

Heating Khandallah

Rental properties in Khandallah require a reliable source of heating that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source like an air conditioner, it could require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Khandallah

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dry air is much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Khandallah

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to the home to hold the 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 the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Khandallah Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often not apparent that it could become a major issue that can cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

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 that water has a place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing 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 Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Khandallah for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for in a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.