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 of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure 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 rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information 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 who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Woodridge rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent 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 owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Woodridge rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

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

Contact us now to discuss getting a Woodridge Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Woodridge

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into the house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the building when the household is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of 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 for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Woodridge

Woodridge rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it may need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Woodridge

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements at least open to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Woodridge

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, as well as making more easy to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part 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

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

Woodridge Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Woodridge

Rental property areas affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Woodridge include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Woodridge for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over in a home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home assessment.