Healthy Homes Assessment Grenada North

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 are now required to make sure their Grenada North rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully compliant by 1 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 to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be done, and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified for 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Grenada North rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified 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 Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Grenada North, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Grenada North rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping for Grenada North rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Grenada North Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada North

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Grenada North

Rental properties in Grenada North should have a permanent heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should have the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Grenada North

Each living space within a rental house must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air is less difficult to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Grenada North

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier for the home to retain the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater 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 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

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

Grenada North Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Grenada North

Rental property areas affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Grenada North include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada North for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for during a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.