Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Cook

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Mount Cook rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties we are completely qualified to assess 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, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

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

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have a home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households in New Zealand and Mount Cook, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Mount Cook rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Cook

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into your house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building when the house heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Mount Cook

Mount Cook rental properties require a reliable source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it should have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Mount Cook

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be less difficult to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements at least open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Mount Cook

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making much easier to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 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 moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mount Cook

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Cook include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Cook for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check in the house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.