Healthy Homes Assessment Alicetown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required 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 rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified for each of 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 new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Alicetown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to remember that landlords who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and 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.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Alicetown, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Alicetown rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Alicetown

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the household heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Alicetown

Rental properties in Alicetown should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it may need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Alicetown

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air will be more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Alicetown

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make much easier for the house to keep heat.

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 it is a measurement 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 – all of the 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, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Alicetown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of this 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 The 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 numerous things to be able to examine in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental property house evaluation.