Healthy Homes Assessment Riverstone Terraces

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 are now required to make sure that their Riverstone Terraces rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. needs to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are 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

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Riverstone Terraces rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Riverstone Terraces rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and request a house inspection performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Riverstone Terraces, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Riverstone Terraces rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Riverstone Terraces rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Riverstone Terraces Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Riverstone Terraces

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A damp home costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within your house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the household is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy homes

Heating Riverstone Terraces

Rental properties in Riverstone Terraces should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the main or largest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Riverstone Terraces

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air is easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Riverstone Terraces

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier to the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Riverstone Terraces Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Riverstone Terraces

Rental property areas affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Riverstone Terraces include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Riverstone Terraces for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.