Healthy Homes Assessment Khandallah

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Khandallah rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks which requirements to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Khandallah rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to remember that landlords who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Khandallah, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Khandallah rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

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

Contact us now to discuss having a Khandallah Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Khandallah

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A cold home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your home need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy homes

Heating Khandallah

Rental properties in Khandallah need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it needs to include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Khandallah

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Khandallah

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to allow the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Khandallah Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Khandallah

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

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Khandallah for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for during an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.