Healthy Homes Assessment Gracefield

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Gracefield rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of 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 healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified to assess 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Gracefield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Gracefield rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, 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 incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property 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 at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and request an house assessment performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Gracefield, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Gracefield rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Gracefield rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Gracefield Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Gracefield

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Gracefield

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

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Gracefield

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Gracefield

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to allow the house to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Gracefield Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Gracefield

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through the Healthy Homes Standard in Gracefield include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Gracefield for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine in the house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property house assessment.