Healthy Homes Assessment Birchville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Birchville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which needs to be completed 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 in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully qualified to evaluate 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 brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Birchville, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the standard of Birchville rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

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

Get started now and contact us about getting a Birchville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A cold house costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole or crack, then it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your home require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Birchville

Birchville rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can heat the living area to at minimum 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 wellbeing.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

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

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it might require an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Birchville

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and don’t require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight needs at least of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Birchville

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs 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 withstands 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 part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Birchville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standard in Birchville include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over in an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.