Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Cook

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully qualified 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

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

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Mount Cook, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Mount Cook rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

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

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Mount Cook Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Cook

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A damp home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a gap or hole, then it is likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Mount Cook

Rental properties in Mount Cook require a reliable source of heat that can heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it could need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Mount Cook

Each living space within a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Mount Cook

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making it easier to allow the household to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the 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 what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mount Cook

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Cook include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Cook for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home assessment.