Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Cook

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Mount Cook rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely qualified for both 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 on a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so 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 correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Mount Cook, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Mount Cook rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Mount Cook rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Mount Cook Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Cook

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A cold home costs more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the house need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the house heats and cools, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows 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 to ensure well-being homes

Heating Mount Cook

Mount Cook rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must 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 need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Mount Cook

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding how dried air can be more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside while remaining closed to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Mount Cook

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make it easier for the house to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Mount Cook Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically what you don’t see that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full 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 by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Cook include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Cook for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

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