Healthy Homes Assessment Boulcott

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure 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 certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any 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

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

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Boulcott, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Boulcott rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping for Boulcott rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Boulcott Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Boulcott

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Boulcott

Boulcott rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fixed 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 the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it may require an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Boulcott

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

A ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Boulcott

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make it easier to allow the house to hold warmth.

Insulation needs 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 greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Boulcott Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the home. 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

The areas of rental property that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Boulcott include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Boulcott for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.