Healthy Homes Assessment Cannons Creek

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Cannons Creek rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Cannons Creek rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house assessment done for your rental property.

Get the full description 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 rent in New Zealand and Cannons Creek, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the standard of Cannons Creek rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping within Cannons Creek rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Cannons Creek Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Cannons Creek

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of your house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being houses

Heating Cannons Creek

Cannons Creek rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient 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 in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might need an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Cannons Creek

Each liveable space in a rental home must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Cannons Creek

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy to the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Cannons Creek Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper 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 maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Cannons Creek

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Cannons Creek for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.