Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Cook

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Mount Cook rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must 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 evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified to evaluate 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 or renewed tenancy is signed for a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Mount Cook, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Mount Cook rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for 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, and Draught-stopping in 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 dropping temperatures within homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from your house require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the house warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Mount Cook

Rental properties in Mount Cook need to have a stable heating source that can heat the living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like a heat pump, then it could need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Mount Cook

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Mount Cook

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and it will make an easier task to allow the household to hold the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

Mount Cook Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring 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

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Cook for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over during the home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental property house assessment.