Healthy Homes Assessment Alicetown

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 now have to make sure their Alicetown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

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 an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Alicetown, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Alicetown rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living because of health issues. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping on Alicetown rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Alicetown

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from your house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Alicetown

Rental properties in Alicetown must have a fixed source of heating which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it could need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Alicetown

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Alicetown

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier to allow the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Alicetown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Alicetown

Rental property areas affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Alicetown include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Alicetown for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.