Healthy Homes Assessment Grenada Village

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? Landlords must ensure that their Grenada Village 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 completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects 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 whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be done and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties and are completely qualified to evaluate each of 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 contract is signed on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Grenada Village rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Grenada Village rental properties.

Start now and call about the Grenada Village Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit from your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the household heats and cools, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will examine the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Grenada Village

Rental properties in Grenada Village need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it might require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Grenada Village

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Grenada Village

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy for the home to hold heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 (underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Grenada Village

The areas of rental property that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Grenada Village include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada Village for Rental Properties

There are many things to check during the home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental properties house assessment.