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 any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach 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 healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified for 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, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Kingsley Heights, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the standard of Kingsley Heights rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping for Kingsley Heights rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley Heights

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Kingsley Heights

Rental properties in Kingsley Heights must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Kingsley Heights

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Kingsley Heights

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task for the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to 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 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingsley Heights Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of this 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 through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kingsley Heights include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley Heights for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over during the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.