Healthy Homes Assessment Boulcott

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Boulcott 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 fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in 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 is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be completed, and offer a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully certified for both 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 brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Boulcott rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Boulcott, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Boulcott rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Boulcott rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Boulcott Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Boulcott

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of the house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the home warms and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine every window and door as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Boulcott

Boulcott rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it could require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Boulcott

Every living space of a rental home must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Boulcott

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to the home to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements 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 the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Boulcott Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Boulcott

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Boulcott include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Boulcott for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine during a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property home assessment.