Healthy Homes Assessment Gracefield

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Gracefield 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 conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by 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 standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, and are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Gracefield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Gracefield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Gracefield, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience at least four major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Gracefield rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Gracefield rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Gracefield Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Gracefield

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

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 a crack or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the house warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Gracefield

Rental properties in Gracefield require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as a heat pump, then it might need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Gracefield

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air will be easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Gracefield

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make more easy to the house to keep warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Gracefield Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem that can cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Gracefield

Rental property areas affected to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Gracefield include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Gracefield for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for during an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties home evaluation.