Healthy Homes Assessment Melling

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Melling 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 must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check 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 requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to assess 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 new or renewed contract is signed on a Melling rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Melling rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to note that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Melling, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who report four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Melling rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control in Melling rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Melling Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Melling

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Melling

Melling rental properties require a reliable heating source that can warm the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must include a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it may require an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Melling

Every living space of a rental home must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Melling

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making an easier task for the home to hold warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Melling 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 it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically not apparent that it could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor 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 Melling

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Melling for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.