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? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Linden rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties 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 assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Linden rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Linden rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could 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 property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s important to remember that a landlord with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Linden, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Linden rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

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

Start now and call about getting a Linden Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Linden

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within the home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building as the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will test all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Linden

Rental properties in Linden should have a permanent heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to include an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it could require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Linden

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Linden

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy to the house to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard 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 underfloor R 1.3
• 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

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 ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Linden

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Linden include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Linden for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.