Healthy Homes Assessment Thorndon

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Thorndon rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work required. requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully qualified 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Thorndon rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is important to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have a house assessment performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Thorndon, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Thorndon rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Thorndon rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Thorndon

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A cold home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Thorndon

Thorndon rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during 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 health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it requirements to have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it might require some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Thorndon

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air is much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Thorndon

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory in 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 instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier to the home to hold warmth.

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 is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Thorndon Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically what you don’t see that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing 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 Thorndon

Property rental areas that are affected to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Thorndon include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Thorndon for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over in a home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.