Healthy Homes Assessment Whitby

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Whitby rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully 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 the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be done and provide a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully certified to evaluate each of 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 contract is signed on a Whitby rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Whitby rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy 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 requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Whitby, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Whitby rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Whitby rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Whitby Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Whitby

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the house is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Whitby

Whitby rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can heat the living space to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it could need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Whitby

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding how dried air can be much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Whitby

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to the household to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Whitby Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Whitby

Property rental areas that are affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Whitby include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Whitby for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

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