Healthy Homes Assessment Kilbirnie

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? The landlords are now required to make sure their Kilbirnie rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 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 check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified to evaluate 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Kilbirnie rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Kilbirnie rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Kilbirnie, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Kilbirnie rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Kilbirnie rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Kilbirnie Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kilbirnie

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out of your home require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Kilbirnie

Rental properties in Kilbirnie should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just require a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kilbirnie

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Kilbirnie

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making it easier to allow the house to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• 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 standard.

Kilbirnie Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kilbirnie

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standards in Kilbirnie include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kilbirnie for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over during an house assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.