Healthy Homes Assessment Woodridge

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Woodridge rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to 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 check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any work required. needs to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified to assess 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 new or renewed contract is signed on a Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and request an house assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Woodridge, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Woodridge rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs over the long term.

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 in Woodridge rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Woodridge

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A humid home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your home require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the structure when the house warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for healthy homes

Heating Woodridge

Rental properties in Woodridge require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should include an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like a heat pump, then it could require a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Woodridge

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or skylight needs at least of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Woodridge

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and will also make it easier to allow the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better 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 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Woodridge Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often what you don’t see that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Woodridge

The areas of rental property that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Woodridge include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Woodridge for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house assessment.