Healthy Homes Assessment Melrose

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Melrose rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely certified to evaluate both 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 tenancy is signed on a Melrose rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of within 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 taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Melrose, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Melrose rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping in Melrose rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Melrose Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Melrose

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out of the home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the house is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Melrose

Rental properties in Melrose must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it could need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe 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 provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dried air can be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Melrose

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task for the household to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Melrose Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Melrose

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Melrose include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Melrose for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home assessment.