Healthy Homes Assessment Belmont

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Belmont 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 are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks which requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified for each of 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 new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on a Belmont rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is important to keep in mind that a landlord who have several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Belmont, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Belmont rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping on Belmont rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Belmont

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Belmont

Belmont rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it needs to have an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might require an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Belmont

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements at least open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Belmont

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task for the home to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Belmont Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Belmont

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Belmont include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Belmont for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over when conducting a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to 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 expert advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.