Healthy Homes Assessment Alicetown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Alicetown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely 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 determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work required. requirements to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of 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 healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out 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 up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Alicetown, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Alicetown rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Alicetown rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Alicetown

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will test all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Alicetown

Alicetown rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Alicetown

Each living space within a rental home must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Alicetown

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier to allow the home to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Alicetown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Alicetown

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standards in Alicetown include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Alicetown for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.