Healthy Homes Assessment Melrose

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Melrose rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed 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 can evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re completely certified to assess 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 brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Melrose rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Melrose rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out which 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 executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Melrose, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Melrose rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Melrose rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Melrose Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Melrose

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of the home require to be sealed. 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 responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the building as the home warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Melrose

Melrose rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must include a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might just require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Melrose

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Melrose

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier to allow the household to hold heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Melrose Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Melrose

Property rental areas that are affected with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Melrose include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Melrose for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in a house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property home assessment.