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 now have to ensure their Kilbirnie rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to 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 and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate both 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 brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kilbirnie rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to note that a landlord who own several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment 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?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Kilbirnie, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who reported at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Kilbirnie rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Kilbirnie rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Kilbirnie Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kilbirnie

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit from the house need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the home heats and cools, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being houses

Heating Kilbirnie

Kilbirnie rental properties require a reliable source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might require an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kilbirnie

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Kilbirnie

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and also makes an easier task to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kilbirnie Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kilbirnie

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kilbirnie for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine during an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.