Healthy Homes Assessment Linden

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? Landlords must make sure their Linden rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be completed and provide a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under 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 $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, and are fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Linden rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have a home inspection performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Linden, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Linden rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control on Linden rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Linden

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of the home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the household warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Linden

Rental properties in Linden require a reliable heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it should have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it may require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Linden

Every living space in a rental property must include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside, but remain at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Linden

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task to allow the home to retain heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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

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

Linden Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location 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 a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Linden

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standard in Linden include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Linden for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.