Healthy Homes Assessment Stokes Valley

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Stokes Valley rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must 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 will assess your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties and are 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Stokes Valley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Stokes Valley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property and 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 requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to note that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and request an home inspection performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Stokes Valley, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Stokes Valley rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living because of diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Stokes Valley rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Stokes Valley Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Stokes Valley

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A draughty house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building as the home is heated and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will test the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Stokes Valley

Rental properties in Stokes Valley must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Stokes Valley

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dried air can be much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

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

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Stokes Valley

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to allow the home to hold the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• 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 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Stokes Valley Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Stokes Valley

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Stokes Valley include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Stokes Valley for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine in a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home assessment.