Healthy Homes Assessment Wallaceville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Wallaceville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be completed, and provide a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified to evaluate 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Wallaceville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Wallaceville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or 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 is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who 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 property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and request an home inspection performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Wallaceville, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Wallaceville rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Wallaceville rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Wallaceville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wallaceville

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from the house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the house warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will check all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Wallaceville

Wallaceville rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe 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 an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it may need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Wallaceville

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding that dried air can be easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Wallaceville

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and also makes more easy to allow the house to hold heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Wallaceville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wallaceville

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

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wallaceville for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.