Healthy Homes Assessment Linden

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Linden rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that needs to be done and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties we are fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Linden rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Linden rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most 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 hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Linden, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Linden rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Linden rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Linden Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Linden

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the house heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Linden

Rental properties in Linden need to have a stable source of heat which can warm the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump it must include the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Linden

Every living space of a rental house must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside and remain set in an opening position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Linden

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and will also make more easy to allow the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Linden Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Linden

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Linden include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Linden for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine during the house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental properties house evaluation.