Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Victoria

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Mount Victoria rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st 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 the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified to assess 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Mount Victoria rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Mount Victoria, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Mount Victoria rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping within Mount Victoria rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Mount Victoria Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Victoria

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Mount Victoria

Mount Victoria rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, 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 well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, 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 permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it might require an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Mount Victoria

Every living space of a rental house must include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Mount Victoria

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task to allow the home to keep heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 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 standard.

Mount Victoria Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor 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 Victoria

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Victoria include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Victoria for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for during an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.