Healthy Homes Assessment Kilbirnie

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Kilbirnie rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects 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 satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Kilbirnie rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and request a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on 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 Kilbirnie, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Kilbirnie rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs over the long term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kilbirnie

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your house need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will inspect every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Kilbirnie

Kilbirnie rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might need an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kilbirnie

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

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

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

Each door, window or skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Kilbirnie

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to allow the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kilbirnie Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kilbirnie

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Kilbirnie include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kilbirnie for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for in an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.