Healthy Homes Assessment Woodridge

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 ensure their Woodridge 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 compliant by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

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

It is also important to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and request an house inspection performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Woodridge, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Woodridge rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Woodridge rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Woodridge Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Woodridge

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A humid home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Woodridge

Woodridge rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it might need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Woodridge

Each living space within the rental property should have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air is less difficult to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, and stay closed to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Woodridge

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to allow the household to hold heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Woodridge Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to get rid of 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 doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Woodridge

Property rental areas that are affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Woodridge include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Woodridge for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property home evaluation.