Healthy Homes Assessment Cannons Creek

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that 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 fully in compliance by July 1st 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work required. needs to be done and offer a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely qualified for 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, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Cannons Creek rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Cannons Creek rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Cannons Creek, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Cannons Creek rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Cannons Creek rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Cannons Creek Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Cannons Creek

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of your house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Cannons Creek

Rental properties in Cannons Creek should have a permanent heating source that can heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. 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 heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to have the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it could require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Cannons Creek

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is about recognising how dry air will be much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing 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, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Cannons Creek

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to allow the household to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for 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 more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Cannons Creek Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually not apparent that it can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate 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 making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Cannons Creek

Rental property areas affected with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Cannons Creek include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Cannons Creek for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over during an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental property home assessment.