Healthy Homes Assessment Melrose

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Melrose 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 that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely qualified for 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Melrose rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Melrose rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and request a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Melrose, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Melrose rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Melrose rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Melrose

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your home need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the house is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will test all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Melrose

Rental properties in Melrose need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to include the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like an air conditioner, it might need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Melrose

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Melrose

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to the household to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Melrose Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor 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 Melrose

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standard in Melrose include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Melrose for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.