Healthy Homes Assessment Ebdentown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Ebdentown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes 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 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Ebdentown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Ebdentown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households in New Zealand and Ebdentown, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Ebdentown rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less 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 as Draught stopping for Ebdentown rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Ebdentown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ebdentown

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of 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. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building as the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Ebdentown

Ebdentown rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with 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 installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must have the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like a heat pump, then it could need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Ebdentown

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

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

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Ebdentown

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and will also make more easy to the household to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Ebdentown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath 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 the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ebdentown

Property rental areas that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Ebdentown include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ebdentown for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check during a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.