Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Cook

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Mount Cook rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to 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 will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that needs to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate both 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Mount Cook, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Mount Cook rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in 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 as Draught Control for Mount Cook rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Mount Cook Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Cook

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A humid home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it is likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Mount Cook

Rental properties in Mount Cook require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the living space to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, such as an air conditioner, it may require some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Mount Cook

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air is more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. 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 this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Mount Cook

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements 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 insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area 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.

Mount Cook Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mount Cook

The areas of rental property that are affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Cook include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Cook for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for during an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to book your rental properties home assessment.