Healthy Homes Assessment Kilbirnie

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 must make sure that their Kilbirnie rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be done and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are 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, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Kilbirnie rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible 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 landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and request a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Kilbirnie, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Kilbirnie rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Kilbirnie rental properties.

Start now and call about the Kilbirnie Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kilbirnie

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A damp house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap, then it is most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the home is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will test all doors and windows in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Kilbirnie

Kilbirnie rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most 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 outlook.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to be equipped with the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kilbirnie

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and do not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outside. Our 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.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Kilbirnie

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is up to 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 topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making much easier for the household to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kilbirnie Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kilbirnie

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standard in Kilbirnie include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kilbirnie for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check in an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to book your rental property house evaluation.