Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley Heights

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Kingsley Heights 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 completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it is updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Kingsley Heights, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Kingsley Heights rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Kingsley Heights rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley Heights

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important for healthy houses

Heating Kingsley Heights

Kingsley Heights rental properties require a reliable heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it could require an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Kingsley Heights

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

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

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

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Kingsley Heights

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make more easy for the household to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingsley Heights Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually not apparent that it could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing 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

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kingsley Heights include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley Heights for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home assessment.