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? Landlords now have to ensure that their Alicetown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas 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 requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks which needs to be done and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that landlords who manage several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Alicetown, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Alicetown rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping within Alicetown rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Alicetown

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in households. A damp home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out from your home require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Alicetown

Alicetown rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors 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), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your 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 mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Alicetown

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air is much easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and are not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Alicetown

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make an easier task to allow the home to hold warmth.

Insulation needs 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 gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Alicetown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about 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 with the Healthy Homes Standards in Alicetown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Alicetown for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over when conducting a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.