Healthy Homes Assessment Alicetown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 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 rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work required. needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully certified to evaluate each of 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to note that landlords who own several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Alicetown, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Alicetown rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs 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 Draught Control within 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 are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap, then it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into your house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy homes

Heating Alicetown

Rental properties in Alicetown require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to include a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it might just require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Alicetown

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be more easy to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining closed, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Alicetown

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to allow the household to keep the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

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

See the full 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 but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor 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

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Alicetown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Alicetown for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for when conducting the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.