Healthy Homes Assessment Riverstone Terraces

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Riverstone Terraces rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to assess 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Riverstone Terraces rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Riverstone Terraces rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have an house evaluation performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Riverstone Terraces, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Riverstone Terraces rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping within Riverstone Terraces rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Riverstone Terraces

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap, then it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your house need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the home warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will examine all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Riverstone Terraces

Rental properties in Riverstone Terraces must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it could need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Riverstone Terraces

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising how dry air will be less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and are not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Riverstone Terraces

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy for the home to retain the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Riverstone Terraces Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and 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 moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Riverstone Terraces

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Riverstone Terraces include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Riverstone Terraces for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties house assessment.