Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Cook

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Mount Cook rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 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 determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be completed and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified to evaluate 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished within 90 days.

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 work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households in New Zealand and Mount Cook, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Mount Cook rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping on Mount Cook rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Mount Cook Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Cook

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within the house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being houses

Heating Mount Cook

Mount Cook rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it may need an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Mount Cook

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements at least to open to the outside, and stay closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Mount Cook

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to allow the home to hold the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Mount Cook Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. 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 Mount Cook

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through the Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Cook include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Cook for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check when conducting an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property house assessment.