Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley Heights

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? The landlords are now required to ensure their Kingsley Heights rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work required. requirements to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any 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 included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord who own several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house assessment done for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Kingsley Heights, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Kingsley Heights rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping on Kingsley Heights rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Kingsley Heights Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley Heights

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A damp house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole, then it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of your house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the home warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Kingsley Heights

Rental properties in Kingsley Heights should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 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 source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kingsley Heights

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding how dry air will be less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position 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 property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Kingsley Heights

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make an easier task to allow the home to retain the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingsley Heights Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface 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 be a huge problem and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingsley Heights

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Kingsley Heights include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley Heights for Rental Properties

There are many things to check during the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property house assessment.