Healthy Homes Assessment Cannons Creek

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Cannons Creek rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely 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

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Cannons Creek rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Cannons Creek rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to note that landlords who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Cannons Creek, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Cannons Creek rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping in Cannons Creek rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Cannons Creek

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will examine every window and door as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Cannons Creek

Rental properties in Cannons Creek require a reliable source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it needs to include an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Cannons Creek

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Cannons Creek

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make an easier task to the house to hold heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Cannons Creek Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Cannons Creek

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Cannons Creek for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property house evaluation.