Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Cook

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Mount Cook rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be completed, and provide a report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out 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 current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and request a home assessment performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Mount Cook, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who report at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the quality of Mount Cook rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Mount Cook rental properties.

Start now and call 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 homes. A cold house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within the home require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will test every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Mount Cook

Rental properties in Mount Cook must have a fixed heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump it must have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might just require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Mount Cook

Every living space in a rental property has to include at least one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able to open to the outside and remain at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Mount Cook

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and it will make more easy to the home to hold warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Mount Cook Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps 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 Mount Cook

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Mount Cook include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Cook for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

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