Healthy Homes Assessment Birchville

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 make sure that their Birchville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks which requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to assess 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 new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the 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 within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment done for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Birchville, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Birchville rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Birchville rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Birchville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A humid home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap that is, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit from your home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will test the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Birchville

Birchville rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it may require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Birchville

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air is much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside while remaining closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Birchville

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier to the household to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the 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 but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if 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 from the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Birchville include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient 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 the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to book your rental properties home evaluation.