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? Landlords are now required to ensure their Woodridge rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely certified to assess both 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for 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 having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is completed, and is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request a house assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Woodridge, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Woodridge rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Woodridge rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Woodridge

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into the home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will check the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information 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 heating source which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to include the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it might require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Woodridge

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air is easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to be able to open to the outside while remaining closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Woodridge

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier to allow the household to retain the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of 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

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Woodridge Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor 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 Standards in Woodridge include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Woodridge for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental properties home evaluation.