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 must ensure that their Alicetown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and must be updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and request an house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Alicetown, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Alicetown rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Alicetown rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Alicetown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Alicetown

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A damp house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into the home require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Alicetown

Rental properties in Alicetown need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must include an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it could need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Alicetown

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air is less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Alicetown

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to allow the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

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

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Alicetown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the 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 sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Alicetown

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Alicetown for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in the home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.