Healthy Homes Assessment Gracefield

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 now have 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 rental properties must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to assess 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Gracefield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Gracefield, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Gracefield rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Gracefield rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Gracefield Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Gracefield

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A humid home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Gracefield

Gracefield rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Gracefield

Each liveable space in the rental property should include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Gracefield

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier to allow the house to retain heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Gracefield 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 to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Gracefield

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standards in Gracefield include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Gracefield for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.