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 are now required to ensure their Kilbirnie rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed and provide a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified to assess each of 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, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Kilbirnie rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s important to note that landlords who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Kilbirnie, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Kilbirnie rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kilbirnie

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will test the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Kilbirnie

Kilbirnie rental properties should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the 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 that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must include an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it could need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Kilbirnie

Every living space of a rental home must 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 remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Kilbirnie

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier for the household to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Kilbirnie Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full 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 by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Kilbirnie include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kilbirnie for Rental Properties

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

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to book your rental properties house assessment.