Healthy Homes Assessment Boulcott

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 Boulcott rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an house assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Boulcott, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Boulcott rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower 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, and Draught Stopping within Boulcott rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Boulcott Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Boulcott

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A cold home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out of the house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building as the household warms and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Boulcott

Boulcott rental properties require a reliable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should include an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as 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 just need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Boulcott

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Boulcott

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and will also make an easier task to allow the home to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Boulcott Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often not apparent that it could become a major issue and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment 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.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from getting into the home. It also assists in preventing 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 Boulcott

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Boulcott include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Boulcott for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to book your rental properties house evaluation.