Healthy Homes Assessment Woodridge

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Woodridge rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely 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 can evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be done, and provide a report with all the necessary information for 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 conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified 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 brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Woodridge, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Woodridge rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Woodridge rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Woodridge

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within the home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building when the household is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will inspect every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Woodridge

Rental properties in Woodridge must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it may need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Woodridge

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air will be easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements at least to open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Woodridge

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and will also make more easy to the house to hold the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• 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.

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; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Woodridge

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Woodridge include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Woodridge for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine in a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property house assessment.