Healthy Homes Assessment Woodridge

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the 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 rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in 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 requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be completed and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

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

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Woodridge, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the standard of Woodridge rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Woodridge rental properties.

Start now and call about the Woodridge Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Woodridge

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the house heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will test all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important for well-being homes

Heating Woodridge

Woodridge rental properties must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the living space to a minimum of 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 well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it could require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Woodridge

Every living space in a rental house must include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air is less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Woodridge

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, 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 damp, and also makes it easier to the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Woodridge Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Woodridge

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Woodridge include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Woodridge for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine in a 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 well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property house assessment.